import

/ˈɪm.pɔːt/

//ˈɪm.pɔːt// noun

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

"import" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“import” has 9 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #6,061. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#6,061
frequency rank, English
2,140
“I” headwords
9
tracked misspellings
8
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - Something brought in from an exterior source, especially for sale or trade.

Corpus desk

Index EN-import · import · English

import · rank #6,061 · 9 variants · 8 confusables

  • FREQ-COMMON #6,061
  • LEN-LONG 6 letters
  • VOW-2 2 vowels
  • CONFUS-MID 8 pairs
  • VAR-MID 9 variants
  • BOOK-MID 2,140
  • PHOTO-FINISH innovative

Nearest frequency peer: innovative (+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 “import”

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

corpus weight

What this shows “import” 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).

import vs impose
67% similar
import vs impure
67% similar
import vs imports
86% similar

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

Key facts for import
PropertyValue
Headwordimport
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈɪm.pɔːt/
Letters6
Frequency rank#6,061
Misspellings tracked9
Confusable pairs8
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “import”

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

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

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Same rarity band neighbours include “innovative” (#6,062), “hurricane” (#6,059), “iPad” (#6,063). Among 2,140 “I” headwords, “import” is #6,061. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 9 spelling variants around import (IPA /ˈɪm.pɔːt/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #6,061 among 2,140 “I” headwords. Wiktionary lists 4 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 9 likely wrong-spelling variants for import, with forms such as "immport", "imoprt", and "imporrt". 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 8 confusable-pair relationships, "impose", "impure", "imports", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English importen, from Old French emporter, importer, from Latin importō (“bring in from abroad, import”, verb), from in (“in, at, on; into”) + portō (“to carry, bear; convey”). The correct English form is import, spelled I-M-P-O-R-T.

Definition

  1. 1
    Something brought in from an exterior source, especially for sale or trade.
  2. 2
    The practice of importing.
  3. 3
    Clipping of importance.
  4. 4
    A foreigner playing in a sports league.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. Trump’s July 8 announcement of a 50% tariff on copper imports beginning August 1 sent prices surging 13% in one day, up to a record high of $5.69 per pound.
  2. It was a matter of great import.

Etymology

From Middle English importen, from Old French emporter, importer, from Latin importō (“bring in from abroad, import”, verb), from in (“in, at, on; into”) + portō (“to carry, bear; convey”).

Synonyms

importationimportancyimportancemeaningpurportsignificancetenorweight

Antonyms

exportexportinsignificance

This word in other languages

importación(Español)importation(Français)Importware(Deutsch)importação(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • immport
  • imoprt
  • imporrt
  • importt
  • impotr
  • impport
  • improt
  • ipmort
  • miport

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

immport1imoprt2imporrt1importt1impotr2impport1improt2ipmort2
Edit distance from "import"

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 "import"?
"import" is spelled I-M-P-O-R-T. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈɪm.pɔːt/.
What does "import" mean?
As a noun, "import" means: Something brought in from an exterior source, especially for sale or trade.
What words are commonly confused with "import"?
"import" is commonly confused with "impose", "impure", "imports". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "import"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "import" is /ˈɪm.pɔːt/. 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 "import"?
From Middle English importen, from Old French emporter, importer, from Latin importō (“bring in from abroad, import”, verb), from in (“in, at, on; into”) + portō (“to carry, bear; convey”). 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 "import", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 6 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

hunger#6,058lifted#6,068mighty#6,072facial#6,049

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (9 here; floor ≥5).

Holland9 variantsfitting9 variantsnovels9 variantspoorly9 variants

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list