dictionary
/ˈdɪk.ʃə.nə.ɹi/
"dictionary" is a 10-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“dictionary” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #6,891 in English word frequency and used as a noun.
- #6,891
- frequency rank, English
- 10
- letters
- 15
- tracked misspellings
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A reference work listing words or names from one or more languages, usually ordered alphabetically, explaining each word's meanings or senses, oftentimes also containing information on its etymolog...
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | dictionary |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Noun |
| IPA | /ˈdɪk.ʃə.nə.ɹi/ |
| Letters | 10 |
| Frequency rank | #6,891 |
| Misspellings tracked | 15 |
| Confusable pairs | 0 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Where “dictionary” sits in English frequency
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
The English entry for dictionary is 10 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈdɪk.ʃə.nə.ɹi/. Corpus data places it at rank #6,891 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 6 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.
Our generated misspelling index lists 15 likely wrong-spelling variants for dictionary, with forms such as "dcitionary", "ddictionary", and "dicctionary". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. This entry stands alone in our confusable dataset, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.
Etymologically, the entry records: Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *deyḱ- Proto-Indo-European *déyḱeti Proto-Italic *deikō Medieval Latin dīcō Proto-Indo-European *-tisder. Proto-Italic *-tjō Medieval Latin -tiō Medieval Latin dictiō Proto-Indo-European *-yósder. Proto-Italic *-āsios Medi… The correct English form is dictionary, spelled D-I-C-T-I-O-N-A-R-Y.
Definition
- 1A reference work listing words or names from one or more languages, usually ordered alphabetically, explaining each word's meanings or senses, oftentimes also containing information on its etymology, pronunciation, usage, semantic relations, translations, as well as other relevant information.
- 2A reference work on a particular subject or activity in which the entries are arranged alphabetically; an alphabetical encyclopedia.
- 3A person or thing regarded as a repository or compendium of information.
- 4The collection of words used or understood by a particular person; vocabulary.
- 5A synchronic dictionary of a standardised language held to only contain words that are properly part of the language.
- 6An associative array, a data structure where each value is referenced by a particular key, analogous to words and definitions in a dictionary (noun sense 1).
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *deyḱ- Proto-Indo-European *déyḱeti Proto-Italic *deikō Medieval Latin dīcō Proto-Indo-European *-tisder. Proto-Italic *-tjō Medieval Latin -tiō Medieval Latin dictiō Proto-Indo-European *-yósder. Proto-Italic *-āsios Medieval Latin -ārius Medieval Latin -ārium Medieval Latin dictiōnāriumlbor. Middle English dixionare English dictionary From Middle English dixionare, a learned borrowing from Medieval Latin dictiōnārium, from Latin dictiōnārius, from dictiō (“a speaking”), from dictus, perfect past participle of dīcō (“to speak”) + -ārium (“room, place”). By surface analysis, diction + -ary.
Synonyms
This word in other languages
Common misspellings
Also misspelled as: dcitionary,ddictionary,dicctionary,dicitonary,dictinoary,dictioanry,dictionarry,dictionaryy,dictionayr,dictionnary,dictionray,dictoinary,dicttionary,ditcionary,idctionary
Misspelling Pattern Breakdown
How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of dictionary - 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.
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
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Using “dictionary”
The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.
- The one correct English spelling is D-I-C-T-I-O-N-A-R-Y - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
- Say it as /ˈdɪk.ʃə.nə.ɹi/ (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
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.