function

/ˈfʌŋ(k)ʃən/

//ˈfʌŋ(k)ʃən// noun

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

"function" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“function” has 13 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #1,720. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#1,720
frequency rank, English
2,507
“F” headwords
13
tracked misspellings
6
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - What something does or is used for.

Corpus desk

Index EN-function · function · English

function · rank #1,720 · 13 variants · 6 confusables

  • FREQ-COMMON #1,720
  • LEN-LONG 8 letters
  • VOW-3 3 vowels
  • CONFUS-MID 6 pairs
  • VAR-HIGH 13 variants
  • BOOK-MID 2,507
  • PHOTO-FINISH fifth

Nearest frequency peer: fifth (-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 “function”

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

corpus weight

What this shows “function” 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).

function vs functions
89% similar
function vs functional
80% similar
function vs fiction
75% similar

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

Key facts for function
PropertyValue
Headwordfunction
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈfʌŋ(k)ʃən/
Letters8
Frequency rank#1,720
Misspellings tracked13
Confusable pairs6
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “function”

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).functionlands 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 “fifth” (#1,719), “gift” (#1,721), “eastern” (#1,718). Among 2,507 “F” headwords, “function” is #1,720. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 13 spelling variants around function (IPA /ˈfʌŋ(k)ʃən/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #1,720 among 2,507 “F” headwords. Wiktionary lists 11 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 13 likely wrong-spelling variants for function, with forms such as "ffunction", "fnuction", and "fucntion". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 6 confusable-pair relationships, "functions", "functional", "fiction", and more, 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 function, from Old French fonction, from Latin functiō (“performance, execution”), from functus, perfect participle of fungor (“to perform, execute, discharge”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰewg- (“to enjoy”). The correct English form is function, spelled F-U-N-C-T-I-O-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    What something does or is used for.
  2. 2
    A professional or official position.
  3. 3
    An official or social occasion.
  4. 4
    An official or social occasion.
  5. 5
    Something which is dependent on or stems from another thing; a result or concomitant.
  6. 6
    A relation where one thing is dependent on another for its existence, value, or significance.
  7. 7
    A relation in which each element of the domain is associated with exactly one element of the codomain.
  8. 8
    A routine that receives zero or more arguments and may return a result.
  9. 9
    The physiological activity of an organ or body part.
  10. 10
    The characteristic behavior of a chemical compound.
  11. 11
    The role of a social practice in the continued existence of the group.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. Many genes with reproductive roles also have antibacterial and immune functions, which indicate that the threat of microbial attack on the sperm or egg may be a major influence on rapid evolution during reproduction.
  2. Glu Mobile, who realigned its workforce towards centralized GaaS functions last year, announced earlier this month that it will shut down GameSpy Technology on May 31. The service provides multiplayer functionality for dozens of games on consoles, computers and mobile devices.

Etymology

From Middle French function, from Old French fonction, from Latin functiō (“performance, execution”), from functus, perfect participle of fungor (“to perform, execute, discharge”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰewg- (“to enjoy”).

This word in other languages

función(Español)fonction(Français)Funktion(Deutsch)função(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • ffunction
  • fnuction
  • fucntion
  • funcction
  • funciton
  • funcsion
  • functino
  • functionn
  • functoin
  • functtion
  • funnction
  • funtcion
  • ufnction

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

ffunction1fnuction2fucntion2funcction1funciton2funcsion1functino2functionn1
Edit distance from "function"

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 "function"?
"function" is spelled F-U-N-C-T-I-O-N. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈfʌŋ(k)ʃən/.
What does "function" mean?
As a noun, "function" means: What something does or is used for.
What words are commonly confused with "function"?
"function" is commonly confused with "functions", "functional", "fiction". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "function"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "function" is /ˈfʌŋ(k)ʃən/. 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 "function"?
From Middle French function, from Old French fonction, from Latin functiō (“performance, execution”), from functus, perfect participle of fungor (“to perform, execute, discharge”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰewg- (“to enjoy”). 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 "function", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 8 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

progress#1,734shooting#1,737negative#1,700greatest#1,694

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (13 here; floor ≥5).

advantage13 variantsmaterials13 variantsdangerous13 variantscontinues13 variants

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list