digit

/ˈdɪd͡ʒɪt/

//ˈdɪd͡ʒɪt// noun

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

"digit" is a 5-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“digit” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #10,036 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#10,036
frequency rank, English
5
letters
7
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A position in a sequence of numerals representing a place value in a positional number system.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

digit vs dit
60% similar
digit vs dirt
60% similar
digit vs digs
60% similar

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

Key facts for digit
PropertyValue
Headworddigit
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈdɪd͡ʒɪt/
Letters5
Frequency rank#10,036
Misspellings tracked7
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “digit” 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). digit 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 digit is 5 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈdɪd͡ʒɪt/. Corpus data places it at rank #10,036 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 9 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 7 likely wrong-spelling variants for digit, with forms such as "ddigit", "dgiit", and "diggit". 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 20 confusable-pair relationships, "dit", "dirt", "digs", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English digit, from Latin digitus (“a finger; a number”). Doublet of digitus and dedo. The correct English form is digit, spelled D-I-G-I-T.

Definition

  1. 1
    A position in a sequence of numerals representing a place value in a positional number system.
  2. 2
    A distinct symbol representing a natural number in a positional number system.
  3. 3
    ¹⁄₁₂ the apparent diameter of the sun or moon, (chiefly) as a measure of the totality of an eclipse.
  4. 4
    A unit of length notionally based upon the width of an adult human finger, standardized differently in various places and times, (especially) the English digit of ¹⁄₁₆ foot, now equivalent to about 1.9 cm.
  5. 5
    Synonym of inch.
  6. 6
    A narrow extremity of the human hand or foot: a finger, thumb, or toe.
  7. 7
    Similar or similar-looking structures in other animals.
  8. 8
    Synonym of degree: ¹⁄₃₆₀ of a circle.
  9. 9
    Synonym of manicule.

Etymology

From Middle English digit, from Latin digitus (“a finger; a number”). Doublet of digitus and dedo.

This word in other languages

dígito(Español)chiffre(Français)Ziffer(Deutsch)dígito(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: ddigit,dgiit,diggit,digitt,digti,diigt,idgit

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of digit - 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.

ddigit1dgiit2diggit1digitt1digti2diigt2idgit2
Edit distance from "digit"

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 "digit"?
"digit" is spelled D-I-G-I-T. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈdɪd͡ʒɪt/.
What does "digit" mean?
As a noun, "digit" means: A position in a sequence of numerals representing a place value in a positional number system.
What words are commonly confused with "digit"?
"digit" is commonly confused with "dit", "dirt", "digs". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "digit"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "digit" is /ˈdɪd͡ʒɪt/. 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 "digit"?
From Middle English digit, from Latin digitus (“a finger; a number”). Doublet of digitus and dedo. 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 “digit”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is D-I-G-I-T - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈdɪd͡ʒɪt/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “dit” - see the side-by-side comparison. digit vs dit
  • 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