election

/ɪˈlɛkʃ(ə)n/

//ɪˈlɛkʃ(ə)n// noun

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

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

The verdict

“election” is in the everyday core of English, ranked #870 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#870
frequency rank, English
8
letters
12
tracked misspellings
12
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A process of choosing a leader, members of parliament, councillors, or other representatives by popular vote.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

election vs elector
75% similar
election vs electron
88% similar
election vs erection
88% similar

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

Key facts for election
PropertyValue
Headwordelection
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ɪˈlɛkʃ(ə)n/
Letters8
Frequency rank#870
Misspellings tracked12
Confusable pairs12
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “election” 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). election 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 election is 8 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ɪˈlɛkʃ(ə)n/. Corpus data places it at rank #870 in overall English word frequency, putting it firmly in the everyday core of the language. Wiktionary records 6 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 election, with forms such as "eelction", "elcetion", and "elecction". 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 12 confusable-pair relationships, "elector", "electron", "erection", 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 eleccioun, eleccion, from Anglo-Norman eleccioun, from Latin ēlectiōn-, stem of ēlectiō (“choice, selection”), from ēligō (“to pluck out, to choose”). Equivalent to elect + -ion. The correct English form is election, spelled E-L-E-C-T-I-O-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    A process of choosing a leader, members of parliament, councillors, or other representatives by popular vote.
  2. 2
    The choice of a leader or representative by popular vote.
  3. 3
    An option that is selected.
  4. 4
    Any conscious choice.
  5. 5
    In Calvinism, God's predestination of saints including all of the elect.
  6. 6
    Those who are elected.

Etymology

From Middle English eleccioun, eleccion, from Anglo-Norman eleccioun, from Latin ēlectiōn-, stem of ēlectiō (“choice, selection”), from ēligō (“to pluck out, to choose”). Equivalent to elect + -ion.

Synonyms

chosenness

This word in other languages

elección(Español)élection(Français)Wahl(Deutsch)eleição(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: eelction,elcetion,elecction,eleciton,elecsion,electino,electionn,electoin,electtion,eletcion,ellection,leection

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

eelction2elcetion2elecction1eleciton2elecsion1electino2electionn1electoin2
Edit distance from "election"

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 "election"?
"election" is spelled E-L-E-C-T-I-O-N. The IPA pronunciation is /ɪˈlɛkʃ(ə)n/.
What does "election" mean?
As a noun, "election" means: A process of choosing a leader, members of parliament, councillors, or other representatives by popular vote.
What words are commonly confused with "election"?
"election" is commonly confused with "elector", "electron", "erection". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "election"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "election" is /ɪˈlɛkʃ(ə)n/. 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 "election"?
From Middle English eleccioun, eleccion, from Anglo-Norman eleccioun, from Latin ēlectiōn-, stem of ēlectiō (“choice, selection”), from ēligō (“to pluck out, to choose”). Equivalent to elect + -ion. 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 “election”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is E-L-E-C-T-I-O-N - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ɪˈlɛkʃ(ə)n/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “elector” - see the side-by-side comparison. election vs elector
  • 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