electrolysis

/ɪlɛkˈtɹɒləsɪs/

//ɪlɛkˈtɹɒləsɪs// noun

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

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

The verdict

“electrolysis” has 19 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #40,677. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#40,677
frequency rank, English
18,836
“E” headwords
19
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - The chemical change produced by passing an electric current through a conducting solution or a molten salt.

Key facts for electrolysis
PropertyValue
Headwordelectrolysis
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ɪlɛkˈtɹɒləsɪs/
Letters12
Frequency rank#40,677
Misspellings tracked19
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “electrolysis” 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). electrolysis lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 19 spelling variants around electrolysis (IPA /ɪlɛkˈtɹɒləsɪs/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #40,677 among 18,836 “E” headwords. Wiktionary lists 2 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 19 likely wrong-spelling variants for electrolysis, with forms such as "eelctrolysis", "elcetrolysis", and "elecctrolysis". 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. This headword has no recorded confusable partner, since nothing in our dataset looks or sounds close enough to cause mix-ups.

Etymologically, the entry records: Coined by English polymath William Whewell in 1834 for Michael Faraday. From electro- + -lysis (“a loosening”). Originally of tumors, later (1909) of hair removal. The correct English form is electrolysis, spelled E-L-E-C-T-R-O-L-Y-S-I-S.

Definition

  1. 1
    The chemical change produced by passing an electric current through a conducting solution or a molten salt.
  2. 2
    The destruction of hair roots by means of an electric current.

Etymology

Coined by English polymath William Whewell in 1834 for Michael Faraday. From electro- + -lysis (“a loosening”). Originally of tumors, later (1909) of hair removal.

This word in other languages

electrólisis(Español)électrolyse(Français)Elektrolyse(Deutsch)eletrólise(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • eelctrolysis
  • elcetrolysis
  • elecctrolysis
  • elecrtolysis
  • electorlysis
  • electrloysis
  • electrollysis
  • electrolsyis
  • electrolyiss
  • electrolysiss
  • electrolyssi
  • electrolyssis
  • electrolyysis
  • electroylsis
  • electrrolysis
  • electtrolysis
  • eletcrolysis
  • ellectrolysis
  • leectrolysis

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

eelctrolysis2elcetrolysis2elecctrolysis1elecrtolysis2electorlysis2electrloysis2electrollysis1electrolsyis2
Edit distance from "electrolysis"

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 "electrolysis"?
"electrolysis" is spelled E-L-E-C-T-R-O-L-Y-S-I-S. The IPA pronunciation is /ɪlɛkˈtɹɒləsɪs/.
What does "electrolysis" mean?
As a noun, "electrolysis" means: The chemical change produced by passing an electric current through a conducting solution or a molten salt.
What are common misspellings of "electrolysis"?
Common misspellings include "eelctrolysis", "elcetrolysis", "elecctrolysis", "elecrtolysis", "electorlysis". The correct spelling is "electrolysis".
How do you pronounce "electrolysis"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "electrolysis" is /ɪlɛkˈtɹɒləsɪs/. 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 "electrolysis"?
Coined by English polymath William Whewell in 1834 for Michael Faraday. From electro- + -lysis (“a loosening”). Originally of tumors, later (1909) of hair removal. 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 “electrolysis”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is E-L-E-C-T-R-O-L-Y-S-I-S - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ɪlɛkˈtɹɒləsɪs/ (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

Same frequency band

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