frequency

/ˈfɹiːkwənsi/

//ˈfɹiːkwənsi// noun

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

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

The verdict

“frequency” has 14 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #3,881. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#3,881
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 rate of occurrence of anything; the relationship between incidence and time period.

Corpus desk

Index EN-frequency · frequency · English

frequency · rank #3,881 · 14 variants · 2 confusables

  • FREQ-COMMON #3,881
  • LEN-LONG 9 letters
  • VOW-4 4 vowels
  • CONFUS-LOW 2 pairs
  • VAR-HIGH 14 variants
  • BOOK-MID 2,507
  • PHOTO-FINISH fate

Nearest frequency peer: fate (-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.

Frequency neighbourhood for “frequency”

Lower corpus rank = more everyday usage (inverted bar length for readability)

corpus weight

What this shows Bars show where “frequency” sits against the nearest ranked English headwords in the FrequencyWords band, not a reprint of letter-browse containment.

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).

frequency vs frequent
78% similar
frequency vs frequently
80% similar

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

Key facts for frequency
PropertyValue
Headwordfrequency
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈfɹiːkwənsi/
Letters9
Frequency rank#3,881
Misspellings tracked14
Confusable pairs2
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “frequency” sits in English frequency

This scale runs from the tiny cluster of words that carry ordinary speech (left) to the long tail of words almost nobody reaches for (right).frequency lands here:

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

The axis is logarithmic, with each marked tick roughly ten times rarer than the last. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 14 spelling variants around frequency (IPA /ˈfɹiːkwənsi/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #3,881 among 2,507 “F” headwords. Wiktionary lists 6 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 14 likely wrong-spelling variants for frequency, with forms such as "ferquency", "ffrequency", and "freqeuncy". 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, "frequent", "frequently", where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Latin frequentia, from frequens. By surface analysis, frequent + -cy. The correct English form is frequency, spelled F-R-E-Q-U-E-N-C-Y.

Definition

  1. 1
    The rate of occurrence of anything; the relationship between incidence and time period.
  2. 2
    The property of occurring often rather than infrequently.
  3. 3
    The quotient of the number of times n a periodic phenomenon occurs over the time t in which it occurs: f=n/t.
  4. 4
    A tone, character, mood, or vibe
  5. 5
    number of times an event occurred in an experiment (absolute frequency)
  6. 6
    range of electromagnetic waves used for wireless communication in devices like radios, TVs and mobile phones

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. With growing confidence, the Viking’s raids increased in frequency.
  2. The frequency of bus service has been improved from one every 15 to one every 12 minutes.

Etymology

From Latin frequentia, from frequens. By surface analysis, frequent + -cy.

Synonyms

oftennesscommonness and Thesaurus:frequencyfreqfrequency

Antonyms

period

This word in other languages

frecuencia(Español)fréquence(Français)Häufigkeit(Deutsch)frequência(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • ferquency
  • ffrequency
  • freqeuncy
  • freqquency
  • frequecny
  • frequenccy
  • frequencyy
  • frequenncy
  • frequenyc
  • frequnecy
  • freuqency
  • frqeuency
  • frrequency
  • rfequency

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of frequency - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

ferquency2ffrequency1freqeuncy2freqquency1frequecny2frequenccy1frequencyy1frequenncy1
Edit distance from "frequency"

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.

PlainSpell is rendered directly from structured Wiktionary extracts and open word-frequency lists, no number is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of September 3, 2026. Primary sources: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) and FrequencyWords.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "frequency"?
"frequency" is spelled F-R-E-Q-U-E-N-C-Y. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈfɹiːkwənsi/.
What does "frequency" mean?
As a noun, "frequency" means: The rate of occurrence of anything; the relationship between incidence and time period.
What words are commonly confused with "frequency"?
"frequency" is commonly confused with "frequent", "frequently". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "frequency"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "frequency" is /ˈfɹiːkwənsi/. 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 "frequency"?
From Latin frequentia, from frequens. By surface analysis, frequent + -cy. 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 "frequency", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

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

landscape#3,891Melbourne#3,894Microsoft#3,895objective#3,896

Similar misspelling depth

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

residence14 variantssearching14 variantsWisconsin14 variantsprisoners14 variants

What to do next

You've looked up "frequency". Here's where to go from here.

  • "frequency" maps to 2 confusable pairs in this vintage; the highest-scored is "frequent". View pair
  • 14 edit-distance misspelling variants are generated for spell-check research on this headword. See variants
  • Usage frequency rank #3,881 among English headwords in this corpus. Corpus statistics
  • Browse more English words in the "F" letter cohort. F–Z browse
  • PlainSpell rotates a curated Word of the Day from the English corpus, a passive way to discover vocabulary. Word of the Day

PlainSpell is a reference corpus, not spelling advice. Verify unusual forms in context.

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