erratic
/ɪˈɹætɪk/
"erratic" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“erratic” has 8 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #18,557. The variants make it a useful spelling check.
- #18,557
- frequency rank, English
- 2,246
- “E” headwords
- 8
- tracked misspellings
- 1
- confusable pair
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - Unsteady, random; prone to unexpected changes; not consistent.
Corpus desk
Index EN-erratic · erratic · English
erratic · rank #18,557 · 8 variants · 1 confusable
- FREQ-MID #18,557
- LEN-LONG 7 letters
- VOW-3 3 vowels
- CONFUS-LOW 1 pairs
- VAR-MID 8 variants
- BOOK-MID 2,246
- PHOTO-FINISH Eminem
Nearest frequency peer: Eminem (-2 rank slots)
Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern
Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.
Rank peers near misspelling magnet “erratic”
Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword
- embroidered
embroidered
81,448 corpus weight
- embryo
embryo
81,447 corpus weight
- Eminem
Eminem
81,446 corpus weight
- erratic
erratic
81,444 corpus weight
- fang
fang
81,442 corpus weight
- fiesta
fiesta
81,441 corpus weight
What this shows “erratic” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.
Visual similarity to commonly confused words
How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).
Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | erratic |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Adjective |
| IPA | /ɪˈɹætɪk/ |
| Letters | 7 |
| Frequency rank | #18,557 |
| Misspellings tracked | 8 |
| Confusable pairs | 1 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “erratic”
A misspelling magnet
The generator records 8 spelling variants around erratic (IPA /ɪˈɹætɪk/), anadjective. Corpus frequency is #18,557 among 2,246 “E” headwords. Wiktionary lists 2 senses, so context still picks the gloss.
Our generated misspelling index lists 8 likely wrong-spelling variants for erratic, with forms such as "erartic", "eratic", and "erraitc". 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 1 confusable-pair relationship, "erotic", 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 erratik, erratyk, from Latin errāticus; compare Old French erratique. The correct English form is erratic, spelled E-R-R-A-T-I-C.
Definition
- 1Unsteady, random; prone to unexpected changes; not consistent.
- 2Deviating from normal opinions or actions; eccentric; odd.
Recorded use
Wiktionary examplesThese source excerpts show how erratic appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.
Henry has been getting erratic scores on his tests: 40% last week, but 98% this week.
The V-2's directional system was notoriously erratic. In May 1947, a V-2 launched from White Sands Proving Ground headed south instead of north, missing downtown Juarez, Mexico, by 3 miles.
Etymology
From Middle English erratik, erratyk, from Latin errāticus; compare Old French erratique.
Antonyms
This word in other languages
Common misspellings
Also misspelled as:
- erartic
- eratic
- erraitc
- erratci
- erraticc
- errattic
- errtaic
- reratic
Misspelling Pattern Breakdown
How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of erratic - 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.
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 "erratic"?
What does "erratic" mean?
What words are commonly confused with "erratic"?
How do you pronounce "erratic"?
What is the origin of the word "erratic"?
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Similar English words by spelling shape
Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "erratic", not the corpus desk frequency band.
Same letter count
Frequency-ranked English headwords with 7 letters (nearest by frequency rank).
Similar misspelling depth
Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (8 here; floor ≥5).