formality

/fɔːrˈmælɪti/

//fɔːrˈmælɪti// noun

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

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

The verdict

“formality” has 14 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #23,835. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#23,835
frequency rank, English
2,507
“F” headwords
14
tracked misspellings
2
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - The state of being formal.

Corpus desk

Index EN-formality · formality · English

formality · rank #23,835 · 14 variants · 2 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #23,835
  • LEN-LONG 9 letters
  • VOW-4 4 vowels
  • CONFUS-LOW 2 pairs
  • VAR-HIGH 14 variants
  • BOOK-MID 2,507
  • PHOTO-FINISH footy

Nearest frequency peer: footy (-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 “formality”

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

corpus weight

What this shows “formality” 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).

formality vs formally
78% similar
formality vs formalism
78% similar

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

Key facts for formality
PropertyValue
Headwordformality
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/fɔːrˈmælɪti/
Letters9
Frequency rank#23,835
Misspellings tracked14
Confusable pairs2
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “formality”

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).formalitylands here:

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

The axis is logarithmic, with each marked tick roughly ten times rarer than the last. Same rarity band neighbours include “footy” (#23,834), “fortitude” (#23,836), “fouls” (#23,837). Among 2,507 “F” headwords, “formality” is #23,835. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 14 spelling variants around formality (IPA /fɔːrˈmælɪti/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #23,835 among 2,507 “F” headwords. Wiktionary lists 4 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 14 likely wrong-spelling variants for formality, with forms such as "fformality", "fomrality", and "foramlity". 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 2 confusable-pair relationships, "formally", "formalism", a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle French formalité. equivalent to formal + -ity. The correct English form is formality, spelled F-O-R-M-A-L-I-T-Y.

Definition

  1. 1
    The state of being formal.
  2. 2
    Something said or done as a matter of form.
  3. 3
    A customary ritual without substance, real consequence, or unique meaning.
  4. 4
    A specific requirement for obtaining a legal status, conducting a transaction, etc.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. [S]uch an one […] recalls as a vision of Paradise the land he has learnt to love; he exaggerates the insalubrity of a northern climate; he bewails the wretched formality of our civilised life, and so, back to the distant solitudes flies his recollection like a dove to the wilderness.
  2. The examination for priesthood is no mere formality, so we have to study well.

Etymology

From Middle French formalité. equivalent to formal + -ity.

This word in other languages

formalidad(Español)formalité(Français)Formalität(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • fformality
  • fomrality
  • foramlity
  • formailty
  • formalitty
  • formalityy
  • formaliyt
  • formallity
  • formaltiy
  • formlaity
  • formmality
  • forrmality
  • fromality
  • ofrmality

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

fformality1fomrality2foramlity2formailty2formalitty1formalityy1formaliyt2formallity1
Edit distance from "formality"

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 "formality"?
"formality" is spelled F-O-R-M-A-L-I-T-Y. The IPA pronunciation is /fɔːrˈmælɪti/.
What does "formality" mean?
As a noun, "formality" means: The state of being formal.
What words are commonly confused with "formality"?
"formality" is commonly confused with "formally", "formalism". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "formality"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "formality" is /fɔːrˈmælɪti/. 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 "formality"?
From Middle French formalité. equivalent to formal + -ity. 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 "formality", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

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

fortitude#23,836exchequer#23,829grievance#23,849impedance#23,867

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (14 here; floor ≥5).

harmonious14 variantsinterplay14 variantsIsraelites14 variantscontrived14 variants

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list