expectation

/ˌɛk.spɛkˈteɪ.ʃən/

//ˌɛk.spɛkˈteɪ.ʃən// noun

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

"expectation" is a 11-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“expectation” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #7,221 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#7,221
frequency rank, English
11
letters
17
tracked misspellings
1
confusable pair

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - The act or state of expecting or looking forward to an event as about to happen.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

expectation vs expectations
92% similar

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

Key facts for expectation
PropertyValue
Headwordexpectation
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˌɛk.spɛkˈteɪ.ʃən/
Letters11
Frequency rank#7,221
Misspellings tracked17
Confusable pairs1
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “expectation” 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). expectation 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 expectation is 11 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˌɛk.spɛkˈteɪ.ʃən/. Corpus data places it at rank #7,221 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 8 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 17 likely wrong-spelling variants for expectation, with forms such as "epxectation", "exepctation", and "expcetation". 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, "expectations", where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle French expectation, from Latin exspectātiō, from exspectō (“expect”). By surface analysis, expect + -ation. Displaced native Old English wēn. The correct English form is expectation, spelled E-X-P-E-C-T-A-T-I-O-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    The act or state of expecting or looking forward to an event as about to happen.
  2. 2
    That which is expected or looked for.
  3. 3
    That which is expected or looked for.
  4. 4
    The prospect of the future; grounds upon which something excellent is expected to occur; prospect of anything good to come, especially of property or rank.
  5. 5
    The value of any chance (as the prospect of prize or property) which depends upon some contingent event.
  6. 6
    The first moment; the expected value; the long-run average value of a variable over many independent repetitions of an experiment.
  7. 7
    The arithmetic mean.
  8. 8
    The leaving of a disease principally to the efforts of nature to effect a cure.

Etymology

From Middle French expectation, from Latin exspectātiō, from exspectō (“expect”). By surface analysis, expect + -ation. Displaced native Old English wēn.

This word in other languages

expectación(Español)attente(Français)Erwartung(Deutsch)espera(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: epxectation,exepctation,expcetation,expecattion,expecctation,expectaiton,expectasion,expectatino,expectationn,expectatoin,expectattion,expecttaion,expecttation,expetcation,exppectation,exxpectation,xepectation

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

epxectation2exepctation2expcetation2expecattion2expecctation1expectaiton2expectasion1expectatino2
Edit distance from "expectation"

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 "expectation"?
"expectation" is spelled E-X-P-E-C-T-A-T-I-O-N. The IPA pronunciation is /ˌɛk.spɛkˈteɪ.ʃən/.
What does "expectation" mean?
As a noun, "expectation" means: The act or state of expecting or looking forward to an event as about to happen.
What words are commonly confused with "expectation"?
"expectation" is commonly confused with "expectations". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "expectation"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "expectation" is /ˌɛk.spɛkˈteɪ.ʃən/. 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 "expectation"?
From Middle French expectation, from Latin exspectātiō, from exspectō (“expect”). By surface analysis, expect + -ation. Displaced native Old English wēn. 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 “expectation”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is E-X-P-E-C-T-A-T-I-O-N - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˌɛk.spɛkˈteɪ.ʃən/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “expectations” - see the side-by-side comparison. expectation vs expectations
  • 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