intel

/ˈɪn.tɛl/

//ˈɪn.tɛl// noun

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

"intel" is a 5-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“intel” has 7 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #6,370. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#6,370
frequency rank, English
2,140
“I” headwords
7
tracked misspellings
18
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - Intelligence (secret information).

Corpus desk

Index EN-intel · intel · English

intel · rank #6,370 · 7 variants · 18 confusables

  • FREQ-COMMON #6,370
  • LEN-MID 5 letters
  • VOW-2 2 vowels
  • CONFUS-HIGH 18 pairs
  • VAR-MID 7 variants
  • BOOK-MID 2,140
  • PHOTO-FINISH inn

Nearest frequency peer: inn (-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 “intel”

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

corpus weight

What this shows “intel” 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).

intel vs into
60% similar
intel vs item
60% similar
intel vs intro
60% similar

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

Key facts for intel
PropertyValue
Headwordintel
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈɪn.tɛl/
Letters5
Frequency rank#6,370
Misspellings tracked7
Confusable pairs18
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “intel”

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right).intellands 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 “inn” (#6,369), “kicks” (#6,371), “ink” (#6,368). Among 2,140 “I” headwords, “intel” is #6,370. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 7 spelling variants around intel (IPA /ˈɪn.tɛl/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #6,370 among 2,140 “I” headwords. Dominant gloss: "Intelligence (secret information).".

Our generated misspelling index lists 7 likely wrong-spelling variants for intel, with forms such as "inetl", "inntel", and "intell". 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. It also participates in 18 confusable-pair relationships, "into", "item", "intro", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: Clipping of intelligence. The correct English form is intel, spelled I-N-T-E-L.

Definition

  1. 1
    Intelligence (secret information).

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. Intel is important in espionage.
  2. We have reason to believe one of our people is giving intel to the enemy. Hit an enemy communication center and get us a name.

Etymology

Clipping of intelligence.

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • inetl
  • inntel
  • intell
  • intle
  • inttel
  • itnel
  • nitel

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

inetl2inntel1intell1intle2inttel1itnel2nitel2
Edit distance from "intel"

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 "intel"?
"intel" is spelled I-N-T-E-L. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈɪn.tɛl/.
What does "intel" mean?
As a noun, "intel" means: Intelligence (secret information).
What words are commonly confused with "intel"?
"intel" is commonly confused with "into", "item", "intro". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "intel"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "intel" is /ˈɪn.tɛl/. 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 "intel"?
Clipping of intelligence. 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 "intel", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 5 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

kicks#6,371flame#6,357drain#6,353ninth#6,387

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (7 here; floor ≥5).

curse7 variantscookie7 variantsreign7 variantssaves7 variants

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list