indicator

/ˈɪn.dɪˌkeɪ.tə(ɹ)/

//ˈɪn.dɪˌkeɪ.tə(ɹ)// noun

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

"indicator" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“indicator” has 13 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #8,048. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#8,048
frequency rank, English
2,140
“I” headwords
13
tracked misspellings
4
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - A pointer or index that indicates something.

Corpus desk

Index EN-indicator · indicator · English

indicator · rank #8,048 · 13 variants · 4 confusables

  • FREQ-COMMON #8,048
  • LEN-LONG 9 letters
  • VOW-4 4 vowels
  • CONFUS-MID 4 pairs
  • VAR-HIGH 13 variants
  • BOOK-MID 2,140
  • PHOTO-FINISH impose

Nearest frequency peer: impose (-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 “indicator”

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

corpus weight

What this shows “indicator” 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).

indicator vs indicate
78% similar
indicator vs indicated
78% similar
indicator vs indicates
78% similar

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

Key facts for indicator
PropertyValue
Headwordindicator
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈɪn.dɪˌkeɪ.tə(ɹ)/
Letters9
Frequency rank#8,048
Misspellings tracked13
Confusable pairs4
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “indicator”

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

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

The axis is logarithmic, with each marked tick roughly ten times rarer than the last. Same rarity band neighbours include “impose” (#8,047), “inequality” (#8,049), “illustration” (#8,046). Among 2,140 “I” headwords, “indicator” is #8,048. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 13 spelling variants around indicator (IPA /ˈɪn.dɪˌkeɪ.tə(ɹ)/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #8,048 among 2,140 “I” headwords. Wiktionary lists 9 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 13 likely wrong-spelling variants for indicator, with forms such as "idnicator", "indciator", and "inddicator". 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 4 confusable-pair relationships, "indicate", "indicated", "indicates", 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 Late Latin indicātor (“one who points out”), from Latin indicō (“point out”). By surface analysis, indicate + -or; see indicate. The correct English form is indicator, spelled I-N-D-I-C-A-T-O-R.

Definition

  1. 1
    A pointer or index that indicates something.
  2. 2
    A meter or gauge.
  3. 3
    The needle or dial on such a meter.
  4. 4
    Any of many substances, such as litmus, used to indicate the concentration of a substance, or the degree of a reaction.
  5. 5
    A plant or animal whose presence is indicative of some specific environment.
  6. 6
    A measure, such as unemployment rate, which can be used to predict economic trends.
  7. 7
    A turn signal; each of the flashing lights on each side of a vehicle which indicate a turn is being made to left or right, or a lane change etc.
  8. 8
    A bird, the honeyguide.
  9. 9
    A codeword that marks the use of a specific cryptic device.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. The visual indicators are a decided improvement, and have reduced the telephoning by the staff in the signalbox.
  2. These old indicators [at Earl's Court station] show the destination of the next train by the appearance of an illuminated arrow next to the station name. The arrow may indicate that a train is going to Wimbledon, but it gives no clue as to when. Now, however, the indicators are supplemented by dot matrix panels that not only say where but also when. Why a…

Etymology

From Late Latin indicātor (“one who points out”), from Latin indicō (“point out”). By surface analysis, indicate + -or; see indicate.

This word in other languages

indicador(Español)indicateur(Français)Indikator(Deutsch)indicador(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • idnicator
  • indciator
  • inddicator
  • indiactor
  • indicaotr
  • indicatorr
  • indicatro
  • indicattor
  • indiccator
  • indictaor
  • inidcator
  • inndicator
  • nidicator

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

idnicator2indciator2inddicator1indiactor2indicaotr2indicatorr1indicatro2indicattor1
Edit distance from "indicator"

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 "indicator"?
"indicator" is spelled I-N-D-I-C-A-T-O-R. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈɪn.dɪˌkeɪ.tə(ɹ)/.
What does "indicator" mean?
As a noun, "indicator" means: A pointer or index that indicates something.
What words are commonly confused with "indicator"?
"indicator" is commonly confused with "indicate", "indicated", "indicates". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "indicator"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "indicator" is /ˈɪn.dɪˌkeɪ.tə(ɹ)/. 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 "indicator"?
From Late Latin indicātor (“one who points out”), from Latin indicō (“point out”). By surface analysis, indicate + -or; see indicate. 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 "indicator", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 9 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

gratitude#8,041excluding#8,034competent#8,018recognise#8,080

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (13 here; floor ≥5).

enrollment13 variantscracking13 variantsreviewing13 variantsthankful13 variants

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list