indicator
/ˈɪn.dɪˌkeɪ.tə(ɹ)/
"indicator" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“indicator” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #8,048 in English word frequency and used as a noun.
- #8,048
- frequency rank, English
- 9
- letters
- 13
- tracked misspellings
- 4
- confusable pairs
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A pointer or index that indicates something.
Visual similarity to commonly confused words
How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).
Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | indicator |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Noun |
| IPA | /ˈɪn.dɪˌkeɪ.tə(ɹ)/ |
| Letters | 9 |
| Frequency rank | #8,048 |
| Misspellings tracked | 13 |
| Confusable pairs | 4 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Where “indicator” sits in English frequency
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
The English entry for indicator is 9 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈɪn.dɪˌkeɪ.tə(ɹ)/. Corpus data places it at rank #8,048 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 9 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.
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
- 1A pointer or index that indicates something.
- 2A meter or gauge.
- 3The needle or dial on such a meter.
- 4Any of many substances, such as litmus, used to indicate the concentration of a substance, or the degree of a reaction.
- 5A plant or animal whose presence is indicative of some specific environment.
- 6A measure, such as unemployment rate, which can be used to predict economic trends.
- 7A 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.
- 8A bird, the honeyguide.
- 9A codeword that marks the use of a specific cryptic device.
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
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.
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"?
What does "indicator" mean?
What words are commonly confused with "indicator"?
How do you pronounce "indicator"?
What is the origin of the word "indicator"?
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Using “indicator”
The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.
- The one correct English spelling is I-N-D-I-C-A-T-O-R - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
- Say it as /ˈɪn.dɪˌkeɪ.tə(ɹ)/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
- Don't mix it up with “indicate” - see the side-by-side comparison. indicator vs indicate
- 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.