distributor

noun

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

"distributor" is a 11-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“distributor” has 17 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #11,878. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#11,878
frequency rank, English
3,470
“D” headwords
17
tracked misspellings
3
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - One who or that which distributes.

Corpus desk

Index EN-distributor · distributor · English

distributor · rank #11,878 · 17 variants · 3 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #11,878
  • LEN-MEGA 11 letters
  • VOW-4 4 vowels
  • CONFUS-LOW 3 pairs
  • VAR-HIGH 17 variants
  • BOOK-MID 3,470
  • PHOTO-FINISH disregard

Nearest frequency peer: disregard (-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 “distributor”

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

corpus weight

What this shows “distributor” 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

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

distributor vs distribute
82% similar
distributor vs distributed
82% similar
distributor vs distribution
83% similar

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

Key facts for distributor
PropertyValue
Headworddistributor
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
Letters11
Frequency rank#11,878
Misspellings tracked17
Confusable pairs3
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “distributor”

This scale runs from the tiny cluster of words that carry ordinary speech (left) to the long tail of words almost nobody reaches for (right).distributorlands here:

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

The axis is logarithmic, with each marked tick roughly ten times rarer than the last. Same rarity band neighbours include “disregard” (#11,877), “dominion” (#11,879), “disciples” (#11,876). Among 3,470 “D” headwords, “distributor” is #11,878. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 17 spelling variants around distributor, anoun. Corpus frequency is #11,878 among 3,470 “D” headwords. Wiktionary lists 4 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 17 likely wrong-spelling variants for distributor, with forms such as "ddistributor", "disrtibutor", and "disstributor". 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. It also participates in 3 confusable-pair relationships, "distribute", "distributed", "distribution", a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: From distribute + -or. The correct English form is distributor, spelled D-I-S-T-R-I-B-U-T-O-R.

Definition

  1. 1
    One who or that which distributes.
  2. 2
    A device that distributes electric current, especially to the spark plugs in an internal combustion engine.
  3. 3
    A machine for distributing type.
  4. 4
    An appliance, such as a roller, in a printing press, for distributing ink.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. “The importance of that decision means that the voices of upset consumers have been heard and that those responsible for harming the highly respected reputation of Bud Light and Anheuser-Busch are no longer able to do so,” the distributor said in its statement. […] Still, some distributors are upset with Anheuser-Busch (BUD).
  2. The recall said that the distributors — Walmart, CVS and AACE Pharmaceuticals — will be arranging the return of all the affected products.

Etymology

From distribute + -or.

This word in other languages

distribuidor(Español)delco(Français)Verteiler(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • ddistributor
  • disrtibutor
  • disstributor
  • distirbutor
  • distrbiutor
  • distribbutor
  • distribtuor
  • distribuotr
  • distributorr
  • distributro
  • distributtor
  • distriubtor
  • distrributor
  • disttributor
  • ditsributor
  • dsitributor
  • idstributor

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

ddistributor1disrtibutor2disstributor1distirbutor2distrbiutor2distribbutor1distribtuor2distribuotr2
Edit distance from "distributor"

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 "distributor"?
"distributor" is spelled D-I-S-T-R-I-B-U-T-O-R.
What does "distributor" mean?
As a noun, "distributor" means: One who or that which distributes.
What words are commonly confused with "distributor"?
"distributor" is commonly confused with "distribute", "distributed", "distribution". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
What is the origin of the word "distributor"?
From distribute + -or. 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 "distributor", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 11 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

genetically#11,893ineffective#11,902Alzheimer's#11,832pornography#11,941

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (17 here; floor ≥5).

proportions17 variantsreflections17 variantsprotagonist17 variantsproprietary17 variants

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list