Elizabeth

/ɪˈlɪzəbəθ/

//ɪˈlɪzəbəθ// name

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

"elizabeth" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“Elizabeth” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #3,161 in English word frequency and used as a proper noun.

#3,161
frequency rank, English
9
letters
13
tracked misspellings
2
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A female given name from Hebrew, popular since the 16th century.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

Elizabeth vs Elizabethan
82% similar
Elizabeth vs Elisabeth
89% similar

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

Key facts for Elizabeth
PropertyValue
HeadwordElizabeth
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechProper noun
IPA/ɪˈlɪzəbəθ/
Letters9
Frequency rank#3,161
Misspellings tracked13
Confusable pairs2
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “Elizabeth” 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). Elizabeth 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 Elizabeth is 9 letters long, classified as a proper noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ɪˈlɪzəbəθ/. Corpus data places it at rank #3,161 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 16 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 13 likely wrong-spelling variants for Elizabeth, with forms such as "eilzabeth", "eliazbeth", and "elizabbeth". 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 2 confusable-pair relationships, "Elizabethan", "Elisabeth", since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English Elizabeth, from the Ancient Greek Ἐλισάβετ (Elisábet), a transliteration of the Old Testament Biblical Hebrew אלישבע (ʔĕlîšeḇaʕ, “my God is an oath”). See El and שבועה. Doublet of Elisheba and Isabel. The correct English form is Elizabeth, spelled E-L-I-Z-A-B-E-T-H.

Definition

  1. 1
    A female given name from Hebrew, popular since the 16th century.
  2. 2
    A surname originating as a matronymic.
  3. 3
    A suburb of Adelaide, Australia; named for Elizabeth II.
  4. 4
    A locale in the United States.
  5. 5
    A locale in the United States.
  6. 6
    A locale in the United States.
  7. 7
    A locale in the United States.
  8. 8
    A locale in the United States.
  9. 9
    A locale in the United States.
  10. 10
    A locale in the United States.
  11. 11
    A locale in the United States.
  12. 12
    A locale in the United States.
  13. 13
    A locale in the United States.
  14. 14
    Places in the Philippines:
  15. 15
    Places in the Philippines:
  16. 16
    Places in the Philippines:

Etymology

From Middle English Elizabeth, from the Ancient Greek Ἐλισάβετ (Elisábet), a transliteration of the Old Testament Biblical Hebrew אלישבע (ʔĕlîšeḇaʕ, “my God is an oath”). See El and שבועה. Doublet of Elisheba and Isabel.

This word in other languages

Isabel(Español)Élisabeth(Français)Elisabeth(Deutsch)Isabel(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: eilzabeth,eliazbeth,elizabbeth,elizabeht,elizabethh,elizabetth,elizabteh,elizaebth,elizbaeth,elizzabeth,ellizabeth,elziabeth,leizabeth

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

eilzabeth2eliazbeth2elizabbeth1elizabeht2elizabethh1elizabetth1elizabteh2elizaebth2
Edit distance from "Elizabeth"

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 "Elizabeth"?
"Elizabeth" is spelled E-L-I-Z-A-B-E-T-H. The IPA pronunciation is /ɪˈlɪzəbəθ/.
What does "Elizabeth" mean?
As a proper noun, "Elizabeth" means: A female given name from Hebrew, popular since the 16th century.
What words are commonly confused with "Elizabeth"?
"Elizabeth" is commonly confused with "Elizabethan", "Elisabeth". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "Elizabeth"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "Elizabeth" is /ɪˈlɪzəbəθ/. 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 "Elizabeth"?
From Middle English Elizabeth, from the Ancient Greek Ἐλισάβετ (Elisábet), a transliteration of the Old Testament Biblical Hebrew אלישבע (ʔĕlîšeḇaʕ, “my God is an oath”). See El and שבועה. Doublet of Elisheba and Isabel. 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 “Elizabeth”

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

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