figure

/ˈfɪɡə/

//ˈfɪɡə// noun

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

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

The verdict

“figure” has 8 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #904. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#904
frequency rank, English
2,507
“F” headwords
8
tracked misspellings
11
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - A drawing or diagram conveying information.

Corpus desk

Index EN-figure · figure · English

figure · rank #904 · 8 variants · 11 confusables

  • FREQ-CORE #904
  • LEN-LONG 6 letters
  • VOW-3 3 vowels
  • CONFUS-MID 11 pairs
  • VAR-MID 8 variants
  • BOOK-MID 2,507
  • PHOTO-FINISH difficult

Nearest frequency peer: difficult (-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 “figure”

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

corpus weight

What this shows “figure” 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).

figure vs fire
67% similar
figure vs fugue
67% similar
figure vs future
67% similar

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

Key facts for figure
PropertyValue
Headwordfigure
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈfɪɡə/
Letters6
Frequency rank#904
Misspellings tracked8
Confusable pairs11
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “figure”

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).figurelands here:

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

Ticks step logarithmically, so each one marks a roughly tenfold drop in how often the word turns up. Same rarity band neighbours include “difficult” (#903), “hospital” (#905), “die” (#902). Among 2,507 “F” headwords, “figure” is #904. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 8 spelling variants around figure (IPA /ˈfɪɡə/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #904 among 2,507 “F” headwords. Wiktionary lists 16 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 8 likely wrong-spelling variants for figure, with forms such as "ffigure", "fgiure", and "figgure". 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 11 confusable-pair relationships, "fire", "fugue", "future", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English figure, borrowed from Old French figure, from Latin figūra (“form, shape, form of a word, a figure of speech, Late Latin a sketch, drawing”), from fingō (“to form, shape, mold, fashion”), from Proto-Indo-European *dʰeyǵʰ- (“to mold, shap… The correct English form is figure, spelled F-I-G-U-R-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    A drawing or diagram conveying information.
  2. 2
    The representation of any form, as by drawing, painting, modelling, carving, embroidering, etc.; especially, a representation of the human body.
  3. 3
    A person or thing representing a certain consciousness.
  4. 4
    The appearance or impression made by the conduct or career of a person.
  5. 5
    Distinguished appearance; magnificence; conspicuous representation; splendour; show.
  6. 6
    A human figure, which dress or corset must fit to; the shape of a human body.
  7. 7
    A numeral.
  8. 8
    A number, an amount.
  9. 9
    A shape.
  10. 10
    A visible pattern as in wood or cloth.
  11. 11
    Any complex dance moveᵂ.
  12. 12
    A figure of speech.
  13. 13
    The form of a syllogism with respect to the relative position of the middle term.
  14. 14
    A horoscope; the diagram of the aspects of the astrological houses.
  15. 15
    Any short succession of notes, either as melody or as a group of chords, which produce a single complete and distinct impression.
  16. 16
    A form of melody or accompaniment kept up through a strain or passage; a motif; a florid embellishment.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. For example, while Figure 1 shows information for 516 visitor groups, Figure 3 presents data for 1,625 individuals. A note above each graph or table specifies the information illustrated. ... For example, although Joshua Tree NP visitors returned 525 questionnaires, Figure 1 shows data for only 516 respondents.
  2. a figure in bronze; a figure cut in marble

Etymology

From Middle English figure, borrowed from Old French figure, from Latin figūra (“form, shape, form of a word, a figure of speech, Late Latin a sketch, drawing”), from fingō (“to form, shape, mold, fashion”), from Proto-Indo-European *dʰeyǵʰ- (“to mold, shape, form, knead”). Cognate with Ancient Greek τεῖχος (teîkhos), Sanskrit देग्धि (dégdhi), Old English dāg (“dough”). More at dough. Doublet of figura.

This word in other languages

figura(Español)figure(Français)Abbildung(Deutsch)figura(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • ffigure
  • fgiure
  • figgure
  • figrue
  • figuer
  • figurre
  • fiugre
  • ifgure

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

ffigure1fgiure2figgure1figrue2figuer2figurre1fiugre2ifgure2
Edit distance from "figure"

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 "figure"?
"figure" is spelled F-I-G-U-R-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈfɪɡə/.
What does "figure" mean?
As a noun, "figure" means: A drawing or diagram conveying information.
What words are commonly confused with "figure"?
"figure" is commonly confused with "fire", "fugue", "future". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "figure"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "figure" is /ˈfɪɡə/. 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 "figure"?
From Middle English figure, borrowed from Old French figure, from Latin figūra (“form, shape, form of a word, a figure of speech, Late Latin a sketch, drawing”), from fingō (“to form, shape, mold, fashion”), from Proto-Indo-European *dʰeyǵʰ- (“to ... 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 "figure", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 6 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

modern#908career#896simply#887simple#886

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (8 here; floor ≥5).

knows8 variantscrazy8 variantsparts8 variantsaren't8 variants

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list