erroneous

/ɪˈɹəʊ.nɪ.əs/

//ɪˈɹəʊ.nɪ.əs// adj

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

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

The verdict

“erroneous” has 10 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #21,790. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#21,790
frequency rank, English
2,246
“E” headwords
10
tracked misspellings
1
confusable pair

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - Containing an error; inaccurate.

Corpus desk

Index EN-erroneous · erroneous · English

erroneous · rank #21,790 · 10 variants · 1 confusable

  • FREQ-MID #21,790
  • LEN-LONG 9 letters
  • VOW-5 5 vowels
  • CONFUS-LOW 1 pairs
  • VAR-MID 10 variants
  • BOOK-MID 2,246
  • PHOTO-FINISH erm

Nearest frequency peer: erm (-1 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 “erroneous”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “erroneous” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

erroneous vs erroneously
82% similar

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

Key facts for erroneous
PropertyValue
Headworderroneous
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ɪˈɹəʊ.nɪ.əs/
Letters9
Frequency rank#21,790
Misspellings tracked10
Confusable pairs1
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “erroneous”

Word frequency stretches from the small set of words we reach for constantly (left) out to the long tail barely used once in a while (right).erroneouslands here:

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

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Same rarity band neighbours include “erm” (#21,789), “envious” (#21,788), “familial” (#21,792). Among 2,246 “E” headwords, “erroneous” is #21,790. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 10 spelling variants around erroneous (IPA /ɪˈɹəʊ.nɪ.əs/), anadjective. Corpus frequency is #21,790 among 2,246 “E” headwords. Wiktionary lists 5 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 10 likely wrong-spelling variants for erroneous, with forms such as "eroneous", "erorneous", and "errnoeous". 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, "erroneously", where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: From late Middle English erroneous, from Middle French erroneux, from Latin erroneus. The correct English form is erroneous, spelled E-R-R-O-N-E-O-U-S.

Definition

  1. 1
    Containing an error; inaccurate.
  2. 2
    Derived from an error.
  3. 3
    Mistaken.
  4. 4
    Wandering; erratic.
  5. 5
    Deviating from the requirements of the law, but without a lack of legal authority, thus not illegal.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how erroneous appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. His answer to the sum was erroneous.
  2. An erroneous early Fox News report about the New Orleans terror attack is warping the political dialogue in the aftermath of the deadly rampage.

Etymology

From late Middle English erroneous, from Middle French erroneux, from Latin erroneus.

Synonyms

errorfulinaccurateincorrectwrongfallaciousfalsefaultyflawedmistakenwrong

Antonyms

errorless

This word in other languages

erróneo(Español)erroné(Français)unrichtig(Deutsch)erróneo(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • eroneous
  • erorneous
  • errnoeous
  • erroenous
  • erroneosu
  • erroneouss
  • erroneuos
  • erronneous
  • erronoeus
  • reroneous

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

eroneous1erorneous2errnoeous2erroenous2erroneosu2erroneouss1erroneuos2erronneous1
Edit distance from "erroneous"

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 "erroneous"?
"erroneous" is spelled E-R-R-O-N-E-O-U-S. The IPA pronunciation is /ɪˈɹəʊ.nɪ.əs/.
What does "erroneous" mean?
As an adjective, "erroneous" means: Containing an error; inaccurate.
What words are commonly confused with "erroneous"?
"erroneous" is commonly confused with "erroneously". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "erroneous"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "erroneous" is /ɪˈɹəʊ.nɪ.əs/. 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 "erroneous"?
From late Middle English erroneous, from Middle French erroneux, from Latin erroneus. 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.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "erroneous", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 9 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

enlighten#21,787enactment#21,786frivolous#21,801dialogues#21,774

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (10 here; floor ≥5).

Federer10 variantscyborg10 variantsGranada10 variantsJustine10 variants

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list