each

/iːt͡ʃ/

//iːt͡ʃ// det

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

"each" is a 4-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“each” is in the everyday core of English, ranked #191 in English word frequency and used as a determiner.

#191
frequency rank, English
4
letters
5
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - All; every; qualifying a singular noun, indicating all examples of the thing so named seen as individual or separate items (compare every).

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

each vs eh
50% similar
each vs eat
50% similar
each vs ear
50% similar

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

Key facts for each
PropertyValue
Headwordeach
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechDeterminer
IPA/iːt͡ʃ/
Letters4
Frequency rank#191
Misspellings tracked5
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “each” 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). each 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 each is 4 letters long, classified as a determiner, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /iːt͡ʃ/. Corpus data places it at rank #191 in overall English word frequency, putting it firmly in the everyday core of the language. The dominant gloss from Wiktionary reads: "All; every; qualifying a singular noun, indicating all examples of the thing so named seen as individual or separate items (compare every).".

Our generated misspelling index lists 5 likely wrong-spelling variants for each, with forms such as "aech", "eacch", and "eachh". 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 20 confusable-pair relationships, "eh", "eat", "ear", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English eche, elche, ilch, from Old English ǣlċ, contraction of ǣġhwelċ. Comparable to aye + alike. Compare Scots ilk, elk (“each, every”), Saterland Frisian älk (“each”), West Frisian elk, elts (“each”), Dutch elk (“each”), Low German elk, elli… The correct English form is each, spelled E-A-C-H.

Definition

  1. 1
    All; every; qualifying a singular noun, indicating all examples of the thing so named seen as individual or separate items (compare every).

Etymology

From Middle English eche, elche, ilch, from Old English ǣlċ, contraction of ǣġhwelċ. Comparable to aye + alike. Compare Scots ilk, elk (“each, every”), Saterland Frisian älk (“each”), West Frisian elk, elts (“each”), Dutch elk (“each”), Low German elk, ellik (“each”), German Low German elk, elke (“each, every”), German jeglicher (“any”). By surface analysis, Old English ā + which.

This word in other languages

cada(Español)chaque(Français)alle(Deutsch)cada(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: aech,eacch,eachh,eahc,ecah

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

aech2eacch1eachh1eahc2ecah2
Edit distance from "each"

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 "each"?
"each" is spelled E-A-C-H. The IPA pronunciation is /iːt͡ʃ/.
What does "each" mean?
As a determiner, "each" means: All; every; qualifying a singular noun, indicating all examples of the thing so named seen as individual or separate items (compare every).
What words are commonly confused with "each"?
"each" is commonly confused with "eh", "eat", "ear". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "each"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "each" is /iːt͡ʃ/. 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 "each"?
From Middle English eche, elche, ilch, from Old English ǣlċ, contraction of ǣġhwelċ. Comparable to aye + alike. Compare Scots ilk, elk (“each, every”), Saterland Frisian älk (“each”), West Frisian elk, elts (“each”), Dutch elk (“each”), Low German... 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 “each”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is E-A-C-H - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /iːt͡ʃ/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “eh” - see the side-by-side comparison. each vs eh
  • 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