freedom of speech
/ˈfɹiː.dəm əv ˌspiːt͡ʃ/
"freedom-of-speech" is a 15-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“freedom of speech” is uncommon English (outside the top frequency list), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.
- Unranked
- below top-frequency English
- 17
- letters
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - The right of citizens to speak, or otherwise communicate, without fear of harm or prosecution.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | freedom of speech |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Noun |
| IPA | /ˈfɹiː.dəm əv ˌspiːt͡ʃ/ |
| Letters | 17 |
| Misspellings tracked | 0 |
| Confusable pairs | 0 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Where “freedom of speech” sits in English frequency
Rare enough to double-check
freedom of speech is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as anoun, transcribed /ˈfɹiː.dəm əv ˌspiːt͡ʃ/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 2 senses are on record.
freedom of speech doesn't appear in our generated misspelling index, a sign its spelling follows regular English conventions. This headword has no recorded confusable partner, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.
Etymologically, the entry records: The concept and the term are ancient; Athens’ democratic ideology of free speech (παρρησία (parrhēsía)) is thought to have emerged in the 5th or 6th century B.C.E. The first occurrence of the phrase freedom of speech recorded by the Oxford English Dictionar… The correct English form is freedom of speech, spelled F-R-E-E-D-O-M- -O-F- -S-P-E-E-C-H.
Definition
- 1The right of citizens to speak, or otherwise communicate, without fear of harm or prosecution.
- 2Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see freedom, speech.
Etymology
The concept and the term are ancient; Athens’ democratic ideology of free speech (παρρησία (parrhēsía)) is thought to have emerged in the 5th or 6th century B.C.E. The first occurrence of the phrase freedom of speech recorded by the Oxford English Dictionary dates to 1567, and it also appears in the English Bill of Rights, among other works: see the quotations.
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 “freedom of speech”
The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.
- The one correct English spelling is F-R-E-E-D-O-M- -O-F- -S-P-E-E-C-H - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
- Say it as /ˈfɹiː.dəm əv ˌspiːt͡ʃ/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
- 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.