holotype

noun

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

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

The verdict

“holotype” has 12 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #41,182. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#41,182
frequency rank, English
2,646
“H” headwords
12
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - The single physical example (or illustration) of an organism used to formally describe the species (or lower-order taxon), subsequently to be kept as a reference.

Corpus desk

Index EN-holotype · holotype · English

holotype · rank #41,182 · 12 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #41,182
  • LEN-LONG 8 letters
  • VOW-4 4 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-MID 12 variants
  • BOOK-MID 2,646
  • PHOTO-FINISH holiest

Nearest frequency peer: holiest (-2 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 “holotype”

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

corpus weight

What this shows “holotype” 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
Key facts for holotype
PropertyValue
Headwordholotype
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
Letters8
Frequency rank#41,182
Misspellings tracked12
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “holotype”

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

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

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Same rarity band neighbours include “holiest” (#41,180), “Holi” (#41,179), “hydrant” (#41,185). Among 2,646 “H” headwords, “holotype” is #41,182. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 12 spelling variants around holotype, anoun. Corpus frequency is #41,182 among 2,646 “H” headwords. Dominant gloss: "The single physical example (or illustration) of an organism used to formally describe the species (or lower-order taxon), subsequently to be kept as a reference.".

Our generated misspelling index lists 12 likely wrong-spelling variants for holotype, with forms such as "hholotype", "hlootype", and "hollotype". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. Our confusable-pair dataset has no match for it, since its spelling is unusual enough that it doesn't cluster with a lookalike.

Etymologically, the entry records: From holo- + -type. The correct English form is holotype, spelled H-O-L-O-T-Y-P-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    The single physical example (or illustration) of an organism used to formally describe the species (or lower-order taxon), subsequently to be kept as a reference.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. The holotype of this species is subglobular in shape and ammoniticonic in its mode of growth.
  2. The surface of the holotype bears seven rounded annulations which slope very slightly orad from the venter.

Etymology

From holo- + -type.

This word in other languages

holotype(Français)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • hholotype
  • hlootype
  • hollotype
  • holotpye
  • holottype
  • holotyep
  • holotyppe
  • holotyype
  • holoytpe
  • holtoype
  • hooltype
  • ohlotype

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

hholotype1hlootype2hollotype1holotpye2holottype1holotyep2holotyppe1holotyype1
Edit distance from "holotype"

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 "holotype"?
"holotype" is spelled H-O-L-O-T-Y-P-E.
What does "holotype" mean?
As a noun, "holotype" means: The single physical example (or illustration) of an organism used to formally describe the species (or lower-order taxon), subsequently to be kept as a reference.
What are common misspellings of "holotype"?
Common misspellings include "hholotype", "hlootype", "hollotype", "holotpye", "holottype". The correct spelling is "holotype".
What is the origin of the word "holotype"?
From holo- + -type. 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 "holotype", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

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

Halloran#41,165jaundice#41,202grunting#41,161Greenock#41,156

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (12 here; floor ≥5).

hydrant12 variantsHillsboro12 variantsGrenville12 variantsGoulburn12 variants

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list