fax machine
"fax-machine" is a 10-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“fax machine” is outside the top-ranked English vocabulary, used as a noun - the kind of word writers most often double-check.
- Unranked
- below top-frequency English
- 11
- letters
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A device which scans, transmits, receives and prints documents (faxes) transmitted by telephone.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | fax machine |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Noun |
| Letters | 11 |
| Misspellings tracked | 0 |
| Confusable pairs | 0 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Where “fax machine” sits in English frequency
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
The English entry for fax machine is 11 letters long, classified as a noun. It sits outside the most-frequent rank tiers, which is often why uncommon words generate more spelling variants per reader. The dominant gloss from Wiktionary reads: "A device which scans, transmits, receives and prints documents (faxes) transmitted by telephone.".
No misspelling variants are generated for fax machine in our index, which points to an orthography that plays by predictable English rules. We don't track a confusable pairing for this entry, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.
Etymologically, the entry records: Clipping of facsimile machine. The correct English form is fax machine, spelled F-A-X- -M-A-C-H-I-N-E.
Definition
- 1A device which scans, transmits, receives and prints documents (faxes) transmitted by telephone.
Etymology
Clipping of facsimile machine.
This word in other languages
Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Using “fax machine”
The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.
- The one correct English spelling is F-A-X- -M-A-C-H-I-N-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
- 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.