functionalism

/ˈfʌŋkʃənəlɪzəm/

//ˈfʌŋkʃənəlɪzəm// noun

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

"functionalism" is a 13-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“functionalism” is uncommon English (frequency #75,892 among 18,613 “F” headwords), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#75,892
frequency rank, English
18,613
“F” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A doctrine, in several fields, that the function of something should be reflected in its design and the materials used in its construction.

Key facts for functionalism
PropertyValue
Headwordfunctionalism
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈfʌŋkʃənəlɪzəm/
Letters13
Frequency rank#75,892
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “functionalism” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). functionalism lands here:

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

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

functionalism is uncommon English at frequency #75,892 among 18,613 “F” headwords, classed as anoun, transcribed /ˈfʌŋkʃənəlɪzəm/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 6 senses are on record.

Our edit-distance generator produced no likely misspellings for functionalism, suggesting the orthography follows predictable English patterns. No confusable counterpart is on file for this word, since no other headword is close enough in sound or shape to pair with it.

Etymologically, the entry records: From functional + -ism. The correct English form is functionalism, spelled F-U-N-C-T-I-O-N-A-L-I-S-M.

Definition

  1. 1
    A doctrine, in several fields, that the function of something should be reflected in its design and the materials used in its construction.
  2. 2
    The definition of mental states in terms of their causes and effects.
  3. 3
    The idea that social and cultural cohesion are a function of the interdependence and interactions of the institutions of a society.
  4. 4
    The theory that the Holocaust was the result of a gradual escalation of decisions and procedures at the operational level (approved but not necessarily preconceived by Hitler).
  5. 5
    A general school of thought that considers psychological phenomena in terms of their role in adaptation to the person's environment.
  6. 6
    Synonym of functional linguistics.

Etymology

From functional + -ism.

This word in other languages

fonctionnalisme(Français)Funktionalismus(Deutsch)

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 "functionalism"?
"functionalism" is spelled F-U-N-C-T-I-O-N-A-L-I-S-M. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈfʌŋkʃənəlɪzəm/.
What does "functionalism" mean?
As a noun, "functionalism" means: A doctrine, in several fields, that the function of something should be reflected in its design and the materials used in its construction.
How do you pronounce "functionalism"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "functionalism" is /ˈfʌŋkʃənəlɪzəm/. 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 "functionalism"?
From functional + -ism. 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.

Using “functionalism”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is F-U-N-C-T-I-O-N-A-L-I-S-M - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈfʌŋkʃənəlɪzəm/ (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

Other uncommon English words near this rank

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