illustration

/ˌɪl.əˈstɹeɪ.ʃən/

//ˌɪl.əˈstɹeɪ.ʃən// noun

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

"illustration" is a 12-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“illustration” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #8,046 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#8,046
frequency rank, English
12
letters
17
tracked misspellings
2
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - The act of illustrating; the act of making clear and distinct.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

illustration vs illustrator
83% similar
illustration vs illustrative
83% similar

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

Key facts for illustration
PropertyValue
Headwordillustration
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˌɪl.əˈstɹeɪ.ʃən/
Letters12
Frequency rank#8,046
Misspellings tracked17
Confusable pairs2
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “illustration” 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). illustration 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 illustration is 12 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˌɪl.əˈstɹeɪ.ʃən/. Corpus data places it at rank #8,046 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 17 likely wrong-spelling variants for illustration, with forms such as "illsutration", "illusrtation", and "illusstration". 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, "illustrator", "illustrative", since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle French illustration, from Latin illūstrātiō, from illūstrō (“I illustrate”). By surface analysis, illustrate + -ion. The correct English form is illustration, spelled I-L-L-U-S-T-R-A-T-I-O-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    The act of illustrating; the act of making clear and distinct.
  2. 2
    The state of being illustrated, or of being made clear and distinct.
  3. 3
    Something which illustrates; a comparison or example intended to make clear or apprehensible, or to remove obscurity.
  4. 4
    A picture designed to decorate a publication, or elucidate a literary work.
  5. 5
    A calculated prevision of insurance premiums and returns (life insurance)

Etymology

From Middle French illustration, from Latin illūstrātiō, from illūstrō (“I illustrate”). By surface analysis, illustrate + -ion.

This word in other languages

ejemplo(Español)illustration(Français)Illustration(Deutsch)ilustração(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: illsutration,illusrtation,illusstration,illustartion,illustraiton,illustrasion,illustratino,illustrationn,illustratoin,illustrattion,illustrration,illustrtaion,illusttration,illutsration,ilulstration,ilustration,lilustration

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of illustration - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

illsutration2illusrtation2illusstration1illustartion2illustraiton2illustrasion1illustratino2illustrationn1
Edit distance from "illustration"

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 "illustration"?
"illustration" is spelled I-L-L-U-S-T-R-A-T-I-O-N. The IPA pronunciation is /ˌɪl.əˈstɹeɪ.ʃən/.
What does "illustration" mean?
As a noun, "illustration" means: The act of illustrating; the act of making clear and distinct.
What words are commonly confused with "illustration"?
"illustration" is commonly confused with "illustrator", "illustrative". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "illustration"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "illustration" is /ˌɪl.əˈstɹeɪ.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 "illustration"?
From Middle French illustration, from Latin illūstrātiō, from illūstrō (“I illustrate”). By surface analysis, illustrate + -ion. 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 “illustration”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is I-L-L-U-S-T-R-A-T-I-O-N - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˌɪl.əˈstɹeɪ.ʃən/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “illustrator” - see the side-by-side comparison. illustration vs illustrator
  • 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