division

/dɪˈvɪʒn̩/

//dɪˈvɪʒn̩// noun

"division" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“division” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #1,451 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#1,451
frequency rank, English
8
letters
12
tracked misspellings
7
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - The act or process of dividing anything.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

division vs divisive
75% similar
division vs divisions
89% similar
division vs divisional
80% similar

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

Key facts for division
PropertyValue
Headworddivision
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/dɪˈvɪʒn̩/
Letters8
Frequency rank#1,451
Misspellings tracked12
Confusable pairs7
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “division” 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). division 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 division is 8 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /dɪˈvɪʒn̩/. Corpus data places it at rank #1,451 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 16 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 12 likely wrong-spelling variants for division, with forms such as "ddivision", "diivsion", and "diviison". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 7 confusable-pair relationships, "divisive", "divisions", "divisional", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: PIE word *dwóh₁ From Middle English divisioun, from Old French division, from Latin dīvīsiō, dīvīsiōnem, noun of process form from perfect passive participle dīvīsus (“divided”), from dīvidō (“divide”). Doublet of divisio. The correct English form is division, spelled D-I-V-I-S-I-O-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    The act or process of dividing anything.
  2. 2
    Each of the separate parts of something resulting from division.
  3. 3
    The process of dividing a number by another.
  4. 4
    A calculation that involves this process.
  5. 5
    A formation, usually made up of two or three brigades.
  6. 6
    A usually high-level section of a large company or conglomerate.
  7. 7
    A rank below kingdom and above class, particularly used of plants or fungi, also (particularly of animals) called a phylum; a taxon at that rank.
  8. 8
    An optional rank subordinate to the infraclass and superordinate to the legion and cohort; a taxon at that rank.
  9. 9
    A disagreement; a difference of viewpoint between two sides of an argument.
  10. 10
    A method by which a legislature is separated into groups in order to take a better estimate of vote than a voice vote.
  11. 11
    A florid instrumental variation of a melody in the 17th and 18th centuries, originally conceived as the dividing of each of a succession of long notes into several short ones.
  12. 12
    A set of pipes in a pipe organ which are independently controlled and supplied.
  13. 13
    A concept whereby a common group of debtors are only responsible for their proportionate sum of the total debt.
  14. 14
    Any of the four major parts of a COBOL program source code.
  15. 15
    A lesson; a class.
  16. 16
    A parliamentary constituency.

Etymology

PIE word *dwóh₁ From Middle English divisioun, from Old French division, from Latin dīvīsiō, dīvīsiōnem, noun of process form from perfect passive participle dīvīsus (“divided”), from dīvidō (“divide”). Doublet of divisio.

Synonyms

This word in other languages

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: ddivision,diivsion,diviison,divisino,divisionn,divisoin,divission,divition,divsiion,divvision,dviision,idvision

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

ddivision1diivsion2diviison2divisino2divisionn1divisoin2divission1divition1
Edit distance from "division"

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 "division"?
"division" is spelled D-I-V-I-S-I-O-N. The IPA pronunciation is /dɪˈvɪʒn̩/.
What does "division" mean?
As a noun, "division" means: The act or process of dividing anything.
What words are commonly confused with "division"?
"division" is commonly confused with "divisive", "divisions", "divisional". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "division"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "division" is /dɪˈvɪʒn̩/. 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 "division"?
PIE word *dwóh₁ From Middle English divisioun, from Old French division, from Latin dīvīsiō, dīvīsiōnem, noun of process form from perfect passive participle dīvīsus (“divided”), from dīvidō (“divide”). Doublet of divisio. 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 “division”

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

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