determine

/dɪˈtɜː(ɹ).mɪn/

//dɪˈtɜː(ɹ).mɪn// verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"determine" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“determine” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #2,338 in English word frequency and used as a verb.

#2,338
frequency rank, English
9
letters
13
tracked misspellings
2
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To set the boundaries or limits of.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

determine vs determined
90% similar
determine vs determines
90% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for determine
PropertyValue
Headworddetermine
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/dɪˈtɜː(ɹ).mɪn/
Letters9
Frequency rank#2,338
Misspellings tracked13
Confusable pairs2
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “determine” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). determine lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for determine is 9 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /dɪˈtɜː(ɹ).mɪn/. Corpus data places it at rank #2,338 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 8 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 13 likely wrong-spelling variants for determine, with forms such as "ddetermine", "deetrmine", and "detemrine". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. It also participates in 2 confusable-pair relationships, "determined", "determines", where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English determinen, from Old French determiner, French déterminer, from Latin determināre (“to bound, limit, prescribe, fix, determine”), from de + termināre (“to limit”), from terminus (“bound, limit, end”). The correct English form is determine, spelled D-E-T-E-R-M-I-N-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    To set the boundaries or limits of.
  2. 2
    To ascertain definitely; to figure out, find out, or conclude by analyzing, calculating, or investigating.
  3. 3
    To fix the form or character of; to shape; to prescribe imperatively; to regulate; to settle.
  4. 4
    To fix the course of; to impel and direct; with a remoter object preceded by to.
  5. 5
    To bring to a conclusion, as a question or controversy; to settle authoritative or judicial sentence; to decide.
  6. 6
    To resolve (to do something); to establish a fixed intention; to cause (something) to come to a conclusion or decision; to lead.
  7. 7
    To define or limit by adding a differentia.
  8. 8
    To bring to an end, finish; to come to an end, stop, end.

Etymology

From Middle English determinen, from Old French determiner, French déterminer, from Latin determināre (“to bound, limit, prescribe, fix, determine”), from de + termināre (“to limit”), from terminus (“bound, limit, end”).

This word in other languages

determinar(Español)déterminer(Français)bestimmen(Deutsch)determinar(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: ddetermine,deetrmine,detemrine,deterimne,determien,determinne,determmine,determnie,deterrmine,detremine,dettermine,dteermine,edtermine

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of determine - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

ddetermine1deetrmine2detemrine2deterimne2determien2determinne1determmine1determnie2
Edit distance from "determine"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "determine"?
"determine" is spelled D-E-T-E-R-M-I-N-E. The IPA pronunciation is /dɪˈtɜː(ɹ).mɪn/.
What does "determine" mean?
As a verb, "determine" means: To set the boundaries or limits of.
What words are commonly confused with "determine"?
"determine" is commonly confused with "determined", "determines". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "determine"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "determine" is /dɪˈtɜː(ɹ).mɪn/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "determine"?
From Middle English determinen, from Old French determiner, French déterminer, from Latin determināre (“to bound, limit, prescribe, fix, determine”), from de + termināre (“to limit”), from terminus (“bound, limit, end”). See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “determine”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is D-E-T-E-R-M-I-N-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /dɪˈtɜː(ɹ).mɪn/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “determined” - see the side-by-side comparison. determine vs determined
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list