generate

/ˈd͡ʒɛn.ə.ɹeɪt/

//ˈd͡ʒɛn.ə.ɹeɪt// verb

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

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

The verdict

“generate” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #4,948 in English word frequency and used as a verb.

#4,948
frequency rank, English
8
letters
11
tracked misspellings
5
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To bring into being; give rise to.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

generate vs generator
78% similar
generate vs generative
80% similar
generate vs genera
75% similar

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

Key facts for generate
PropertyValue
Headwordgenerate
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ˈd͡ʒɛn.ə.ɹeɪt/
Letters8
Frequency rank#4,948
Misspellings tracked11
Confusable pairs5
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “generate” 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). generate lands here:

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

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

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for generate is 8 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈd͡ʒɛn.ə.ɹeɪt/. Corpus data places it at rank #4,948 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 5 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 11 likely wrong-spelling variants for generate, with forms such as "egnerate", "geenrate", and "genearte". 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 5 confusable-pair relationships, "generator", "generative", "genera", 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 Latin generō (“beget, procreate, produce”) + -ate (verb-forming suffix), from genus (“a kind, race, family”, gener- in compounds) + -ō; see genus. Compare Italian generare, French générer (and its older (and now obsolete) English cognate from Middle Fr… The correct English form is generate, spelled G-E-N-E-R-A-T-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    To bring into being; give rise to.
  2. 2
    To produce as a result of a chemical or physical process.
  3. 3
    To procreate, beget.
  4. 4
    To form a figure from a curve or solid.
  5. 5
    To appear or occur; be generated.

Etymology

From Latin generō (“beget, procreate, produce”) + -ate (verb-forming suffix), from genus (“a kind, race, family”, gener- in compounds) + -ō; see genus. Compare Italian generare, French générer (and its older (and now obsolete) English cognate from Middle French, gender (“engender, breed, copulate”)).

Synonyms

bring aboutcreateengendermakeproducespawn

Antonyms

abrogateannihilatedegenerateextinguishobliterateungenerateerase

This word in other languages

generar(Español)générer(Français)generieren(Deutsch)gerar(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: egnerate,geenrate,genearte,generaet,generatte,generrate,genertae,gennerate,genreate,ggenerate,gneerate

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of generate - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

egnerate2geenrate2genearte2generaet2generatte1generrate1genertae2gennerate1
Edit distance from "generate"

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 "generate"?
"generate" is spelled G-E-N-E-R-A-T-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈd͡ʒɛn.ə.ɹeɪt/.
What does "generate" mean?
As a verb, "generate" means: To bring into being; give rise to.
What words are commonly confused with "generate"?
"generate" is commonly confused with "generator", "generative", "genera". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "generate"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "generate" is /ˈd͡ʒɛn.ə.ɹeɪt/. 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 "generate"?
From Latin generō (“beget, procreate, produce”) + -ate (verb-forming suffix), from genus (“a kind, race, family”, gener- in compounds) + -ō; see genus. Compare Italian generare, French générer (and its older (and now obsolete) English cognate from... 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 “generate”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is G-E-N-E-R-A-T-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈd͡ʒɛn.ə.ɹeɪt/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “generator” - see the side-by-side comparison. generate vs generator
  • 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.

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list