dexterity

/dɛksˈtɛɹɪti/

//dɛksˈtɛɹɪti// noun

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

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

The verdict

“dexterity” has 14 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #26,398. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#26,398
frequency rank, English
3,470
“D” headwords
14
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - Skill in performing tasks, especially with the hands.

Corpus desk

Index EN-dexterity · dexterity · English

dexterity · rank #26,398 · 14 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #26,398
  • LEN-LONG 9 letters
  • VOW-4 4 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-HIGH 14 variants
  • BOOK-MID 3,470
  • PHOTO-FINISH devi

Nearest frequency peer: devi (-1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “dexterity”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “dexterity” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for dexterity
PropertyValue
Headworddexterity
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/dɛksˈtɛɹɪti/
Letters9
Frequency rank#26,398
Misspellings tracked14
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “dexterity”

Word frequency stretches from the small set of words we reach for constantly (left) out to the long tail barely used once in a while (right).dexteritylands here:

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

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Same rarity band neighbours include “devi” (#26,397), “destitute” (#26,396), “dilution” (#26,400). Among 3,470 “D” headwords, “dexterity” is #26,398. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 14 spelling variants around dexterity (IPA /dɛksˈtɛɹɪti/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #26,398 among 3,470 “D” headwords. Dominant gloss: "Skill in performing tasks, especially with the hands.".

Our generated misspelling index lists 14 likely wrong-spelling variants for dexterity, with forms such as "ddexterity", "detxerity", and "dexetrity". 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. Our confusable-pair dataset has no match for it, since its spelling is unusual enough that it doesn't cluster with a lookalike.

Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowed from Middle French dextérité, from Latin dexteritas, from dexter (“on the right”), this is in reference to most people having greater fine motor skills in their right hand. Partially displaced native Old English handcræft, whence Modern English han… The correct English form is dexterity, spelled D-E-X-T-E-R-I-T-Y.

Definition

  1. 1
    Skill in performing tasks, especially with the hands.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how dexterity appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. Playing computer games can improve your manual dexterity.
  2. She twirled the pencil through her fingers with impressive dexterity.

Etymology

Borrowed from Middle French dextérité, from Latin dexteritas, from dexter (“on the right”), this is in reference to most people having greater fine motor skills in their right hand. Partially displaced native Old English handcræft, whence Modern English handcraft.

This word in other languages

destreza(Español)dextérité(Français)Fingerfertigkeit(Deutsch)destreza(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • ddexterity
  • detxerity
  • dexetrity
  • dexteirty
  • dexteritty
  • dexterityy
  • dexteriyt
  • dexterrity
  • dextertiy
  • dextreity
  • dextterity
  • dexxterity
  • dxeterity
  • edxterity

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of dexterity - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

ddexterity1detxerity2dexetrity2dexteirty2dexteritty1dexterityy1dexteriyt2dexterrity1
Edit distance from "dexterity"

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 "dexterity"?
"dexterity" is spelled D-E-X-T-E-R-I-T-Y. The IPA pronunciation is /dɛksˈtɛɹɪti/.
What does "dexterity" mean?
As a noun, "dexterity" means: Skill in performing tasks, especially with the hands.
What are common misspellings of "dexterity"?
Common misspellings include "ddexterity", "detxerity", "dexetrity", "dexteirty", "dexteritty". The correct spelling is "dexterity".
How do you pronounce "dexterity"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "dexterity" is /dɛksˈtɛɹɪti/. 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 "dexterity"?
Borrowed from Middle French dextérité, from Latin dexteritas, from dexter (“on the right”), this is in reference to most people having greater fine motor skills in their right hand. Partially displaced native Old English handcræft, whence Modern E... 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.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "dexterity", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 9 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

destitute#26,396drugstore#26,403emphasise#26,410circuitry#26,370

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (14 here; floor ≥5).

forbidding14 variantsfraternal14 variantsHuntsville14 variantsalchemist14 variants

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list