enigma

/ɪˈnɪɡmə/

//ɪˈnɪɡmə// noun

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

"enigma" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“enigma” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #21,201 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#21,201
frequency rank, English
6
letters
8
tracked misspellings
1
confusable pair

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Something or someone puzzling, mysterious or inexplicable.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

enigma vs enema
67% similar

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

Key facts for enigma
PropertyValue
Headwordenigma
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ɪˈnɪɡmə/
Letters6
Frequency rank#21,201
Misspellings tracked8
Confusable pairs1
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “enigma” 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). enigma 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 enigma is 6 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ɪˈnɪɡmə/. Corpus data places it at rank #21,201 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 10 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 8 likely wrong-spelling variants for enigma, with forms such as "eingma", "engima", and "enigam". 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. It also participates in 1 confusable-pair relationship, "enema", a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Latin aenigma (“riddle”), being derived itself from the Ancient Greek verbal noun αἴνιγμα (aínigma, “dark saying, speaking in riddles”). The correct English form is enigma, spelled E-N-I-G-M-A.

Definition

  1. 1
    Something or someone puzzling, mysterious or inexplicable.
  2. 2
    A riddle, or a difficult problem.
  3. 3
    Riddles and puzzles, collectively.
  4. 4
    Mysteriousness; obscurity; a lack of clarity.
  5. 5
    A style of literature characterized by obscurity and hints of transcendental meaning.
  6. 6
    Alternative letter-case form of Enigma.
  7. 7
    A protein with three LIM domains (a conserved cysteine- and histidine-rich structure of two adjacent zinc fingers) at the C terminus that regulates protein phosphorylation.
  8. 8
    The Talaud kingfisher, Todiramphus enigma.
  9. 9
    Any of species of Oedaleonotus enigma of grasshoppers.
  10. 10
    Any of species of Heliothis enigma of rare moths.

Etymology

From Latin aenigma (“riddle”), being derived itself from the Ancient Greek verbal noun αἴνιγμα (aínigma, “dark saying, speaking in riddles”).

This word in other languages

enigma(Español)énigme(Français)Rätsel(Deutsch)enigma(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: eingma,engima,enigam,eniggma,enigmma,enimga,ennigma,neigma

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

eingma2engima2enigam2eniggma1enigmma1enimga2ennigma1neigma2
Edit distance from "enigma"

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 "enigma"?
"enigma" is spelled E-N-I-G-M-A. The IPA pronunciation is /ɪˈnɪɡmə/.
What does "enigma" mean?
As a noun, "enigma" means: Something or someone puzzling, mysterious or inexplicable.
What words are commonly confused with "enigma"?
"enigma" is commonly confused with "enema". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "enigma"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "enigma" is /ɪˈnɪɡmə/. 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 "enigma"?
From Latin aenigma (“riddle”), being derived itself from the Ancient Greek verbal noun αἴνιγμα (aínigma, “dark saying, speaking in riddles”). 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 “enigma”

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

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