downtime
/ˈdaʊntaɪm/
"downtime" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“downtime” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #22,358 in English word frequency and used as a noun.
- #22,358
- frequency rank, English
- 8
- letters
- 12
- tracked misspellings
- 3
- confusable pairs
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Time lost due to the failure of some system or machinery, such as a computer crash or power outage.
Visual similarity to commonly confused words
How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).
Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | downtime |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Noun |
| IPA | /ˈdaʊntaɪm/ |
| Letters | 8 |
| Frequency rank | #22,358 |
| Misspellings tracked | 12 |
| Confusable pairs | 3 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Where “downtime” sits in English frequency
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
The English entry for downtime is 8 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈdaʊntaɪm/. Corpus data places it at rank #22,358 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 3 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 downtime, with forms such as "ddowntime", "donwtime", and "downitme". 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, "Downie", "downside", "downsize", a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.
Etymologically, the entry records: From down (“out of order; out of service; inoperable”) + time. The correct English form is downtime, spelled D-O-W-N-T-I-M-E.
Definition
- 1Time lost due to the failure of some system or machinery, such as a computer crash or power outage.
- 2A period of time when work or other activity is less intense or stops.
- 3A period of time set aside for relaxation and rest; leisure time, free time.
Etymology
From down (“out of order; out of service; inoperable”) + time.
This word in other languages
Common misspellings
Also misspelled as: ddowntime,donwtime,downitme,downntime,downtiem,downtimme,downtmie,downttime,dowtnime,dowwntime,dwontime,odwntime
Misspelling Pattern Breakdown
How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of downtime - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.
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 "downtime"?
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Using “downtime”
The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.
- The one correct English spelling is D-O-W-N-T-I-M-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
- Say it as /ˈdaʊntaɪm/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
- Don't mix it up with “Downie” - see the side-by-side comparison. downtime vs Downie
- 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.