eccentricity

/ˌɛk.sɛnˈtɹɪs.ɪ.ti/

//ˌɛk.sɛnˈtɹɪs.ɪ.ti// noun

"eccentricity" is a 12-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“eccentricity” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #35,273 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#35,273
frequency rank, English
12
letters
17
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - The quality of being eccentric or odd; any eccentric behaviour.

Key facts for eccentricity
PropertyValue
Headwordeccentricity
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˌɛk.sɛnˈtɹɪs.ɪ.ti/
Letters12
Frequency rank#35,273
Misspellings tracked17
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “eccentricity” 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). eccentricity 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 eccentricity is 12 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˌɛk.sɛnˈtɹɪs.ɪ.ti/. Corpus data places it at rank #35,273 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 4 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 17 likely wrong-spelling variants for eccentricity, with forms such as "cecentricity", "eccenntricity", and "eccenrticity". 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. Our dataset records no confusable match here, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.

Etymologically, the entry records: From eccentric + -ity. The correct English form is eccentricity, spelled E-C-C-E-N-T-R-I-C-I-T-Y.

Definition

  1. 1
    The quality of being eccentric or odd; any eccentric behaviour.
  2. 2
    The ratio, constant for any particular conic section, of the distance of a point from the focus to its distance from the directrix.
  3. 3
    The eccentricity of the conic section (usually an ellipse) defined by the orbit of a given object around a reference object (such as that of a planet around the sun).
  4. 4
    The farthest distance from a vertex to any other vertex.

Etymology

From eccentric + -ity.

This word in other languages

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: cecentricity,eccenntricity,eccenrticity,eccentircity,eccentrciity,eccentriccity,eccentricitty,eccentricityy,eccentriciyt,eccentrictiy,eccentriicty,eccentrricity,eccenttricity,eccetnricity,eccnetricity,ececntricity,ecentricity

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of eccentricity - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

cecentricity2eccenntricity1eccenrticity2eccentircity2eccentrciity2eccentriccity1eccentricitty1eccentricityy1
Edit distance from "eccentricity"

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 "eccentricity"?
"eccentricity" is spelled E-C-C-E-N-T-R-I-C-I-T-Y. The IPA pronunciation is /ˌɛk.sɛnˈtɹɪs.ɪ.ti/.
What does "eccentricity" mean?
As a noun, "eccentricity" means: The quality of being eccentric or odd; any eccentric behaviour.
What are common misspellings of "eccentricity"?
Common misspellings include "cecentricity", "eccenntricity", "eccenrticity", "eccentircity", "eccentrciity". The correct spelling is "eccentricity".
How do you pronounce "eccentricity"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "eccentricity" is /ˌɛk.sɛnˈtɹɪs.ɪ.ti/. 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 "eccentricity"?
From eccentric + -ity. 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 “eccentricity”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is E-C-C-E-N-T-R-I-C-I-T-Y - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˌɛk.sɛnˈtɹɪs.ɪ.ti/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • 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