interpretation

/ɪnˌtɜːpɹəˈteɪʃən/

//ɪnˌtɜːpɹəˈteɪʃən// noun

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

"interpretation" is a 14-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“interpretation” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #4,957 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#4,957
frequency rank, English
14
letters
22
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - An act of interpreting or explaining something unclear; a translation; a version.

Key facts for interpretation
PropertyValue
Headwordinterpretation
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ɪnˌtɜːpɹəˈteɪʃən/
Letters14
Frequency rank#4,957
Misspellings tracked22
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “interpretation” 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). interpretation 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 interpretation is 14 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ɪnˌtɜːpɹəˈteɪʃən/. Corpus data places it at rank #4,957 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 22 likely wrong-spelling variants for interpretation, with forms such as "inetrpretation", "innterpretation", and "inteprretation". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. This entry stands alone in our confusable dataset, since no other headword is close enough in sound or shape to pair with it.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English interpretacioun, from the Anglo-Norman form of Old French interpretacion, from Latin interpretātiō, noun of action from interpretor (“to explain, expound, interpret, understand, conclude, infer, comprehend”). Morphologically interpret + … The correct English form is interpretation, spelled I-N-T-E-R-P-R-E-T-A-T-I-O-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    An act of interpreting or explaining something unclear; a translation; a version.
  2. 2
    A sense given by an interpreter; an exposition or explanation given; meaning.
  3. 3
    The discipline or study of translating one spoken or signed language into another (as opposed to translation, which concerns itself with written language).
  4. 4
    The power of explaining.
  5. 5
    An artist's way of expressing thought or embodying a conception of nature through art.
  6. 6
    An act or process of applying general principles or formulae to the explanation of the results obtained in special cases.
  7. 7
    An approximation that allows aspects of a mathematical theory to be discussed in ordinary language.
  8. 8
    An assignment of a truth value to each propositional symbol of a propositional calculus.
  9. 9
    Short for heritage interpretation

Etymology

From Middle English interpretacioun, from the Anglo-Norman form of Old French interpretacion, from Latin interpretātiō, noun of action from interpretor (“to explain, expound, interpret, understand, conclude, infer, comprehend”). Morphologically interpret + -ation.

This word in other languages

interpretación(Español)interprétation(Français)Interpretation(Deutsch)interpretação(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: inetrpretation,innterpretation,inteprretation,interpertation,interppretation,interpreattion,interpretaiton,interpretasion,interpretatino,interpretationn,interpretatoin,interpretattion,interprettaion,interprettation,interprretation,interprteation,interrpetation,interrpretation,intrepretation,intterpretation,itnerpretation,niterpretation

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of interpretation - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

inetrpretation2innterpretation1inteprretation2interpertation2interppretation1interpreattion2interpretaiton2interpretasion1
Edit distance from "interpretation"

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 "interpretation"?
"interpretation" is spelled I-N-T-E-R-P-R-E-T-A-T-I-O-N. The IPA pronunciation is /ɪnˌtɜːpɹəˈteɪʃən/.
What does "interpretation" mean?
As a noun, "interpretation" means: An act of interpreting or explaining something unclear; a translation; a version.
What are common misspellings of "interpretation"?
Common misspellings include "inetrpretation", "innterpretation", "inteprretation", "interpertation", "interppretation". The correct spelling is "interpretation".
How do you pronounce "interpretation"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "interpretation" is /ɪnˌtɜːpɹəˈteɪʃən/. 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 "interpretation"?
From Middle English interpretacioun, from the Anglo-Norman form of Old French interpretacion, from Latin interpretātiō, noun of action from interpretor (“to explain, expound, interpret, understand, conclude, infer, comprehend”). Morphologically in... 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 “interpretation”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is I-N-T-E-R-P-R-E-T-A-T-I-O-N - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ɪnˌtɜːpɹəˈteɪʃən/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • 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