deuterium

/djuːˈtɪəɹɪəm/

//djuːˈtɪəɹɪəm// noun

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

The verdict

“deuterium” has 12 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #43,601. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#43,601
frequency rank, English
26,416
“D” headwords
12
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - An isotope of hydrogen with one proton and one neutron in each atom - 21H.

Key facts for deuterium
PropertyValue
Headworddeuterium
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/djuːˈtɪəɹɪəm/
Letters9
Frequency rank#43,601
Misspellings tracked12
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “deuterium” 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). deuterium lands here:

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

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

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 12 spelling variants around deuterium (IPA /djuːˈtɪəɹɪəm/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #43,601 among 26,416 “D” headwords. Wiktionary lists 2 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 12 likely wrong-spelling variants for deuterium, with forms such as "ddeuterium", "detuerium", and "deuetrium". 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. This headword has no recorded confusable partner, since nothing in our dataset looks or sounds close enough to cause mix-ups.

Etymologically, the entry records: From deutero- + -ium. Coined by American physical chemist Harold Urey, from Ancient Greek δεύτερος (deúteros, “second”). The correct English form is deuterium, spelled D-E-U-T-E-R-I-U-M.

Definition

  1. 1
    An isotope of hydrogen with one proton and one neutron in each atom - 21H.
  2. 2
    An atom of this isotope.

Etymology

From deutero- + -ium. Coined by American physical chemist Harold Urey, from Ancient Greek δεύτερος (deúteros, “second”).

This word in other languages

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • ddeuterium
  • detuerium
  • deuetrium
  • deuteirum
  • deuterimu
  • deuteriumm
  • deuterrium
  • deuteruim
  • deutreium
  • deutterium
  • dueterium
  • eduterium

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of deuterium - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

ddeuterium1detuerium2deuetrium2deuteirum2deuterimu2deuteriumm1deuterrium1deuteruim2
Edit distance from "deuterium"

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 "deuterium"?
"deuterium" is spelled D-E-U-T-E-R-I-U-M. The IPA pronunciation is /djuːˈtɪəɹɪəm/.
What does "deuterium" mean?
As a noun, "deuterium" means: An isotope of hydrogen with one proton and one neutron in each atom - 21H.
What are common misspellings of "deuterium"?
Common misspellings include "ddeuterium", "detuerium", "deuetrium", "deuteirum", "deuterimu". The correct spelling is "deuterium".
How do you pronounce "deuterium"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "deuterium" is /djuːˈtɪəɹɪəm/. 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 "deuterium"?
From deutero- + -ium. Coined by American physical chemist Harold Urey, from Ancient Greek δεύτερος (deúteros, “second”). 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 “deuterium”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is D-E-U-T-E-R-I-U-M - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /djuːˈtɪəɹɪəm/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words

Same frequency band

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