knowledge

/ˈnɒlɪd͡ʒ/

//ˈnɒlɪd͡ʒ// noun

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

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

The verdict

“knowledge” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #1,172 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#1,172
frequency rank, English
9
letters
14
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - The fact of knowing about something; general understanding or familiarity with a subject, place, situation etc.

Key facts for knowledge
PropertyValue
Headwordknowledge
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈnɒlɪd͡ʒ/
Letters9
Frequency rank#1,172
Misspellings tracked14
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “knowledge” 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). knowledge 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 knowledge is 9 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈnɒlɪd͡ʒ/. Corpus data places it at rank #1,172 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 12 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 14 likely wrong-spelling variants for knowledge, with forms such as "kknowledge", "knnowledge", and "knolwedge". 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. No close-neighbour confusable shows up for this headword in our dataset, since no other headword is close enough in sound or shape to pair with it.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English knowleche, knaweleche, cnawlece (“knowledge”), from knowen (“to know, recognise”) + -leche. Related to Middle English knowlechen (“to find out, acknowledge”). For more on the Middle English suffix -leche, compare freelage. Compare also O… The correct English form is knowledge, spelled K-N-O-W-L-E-D-G-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    The fact of knowing about something; general understanding or familiarity with a subject, place, situation etc.
  2. 2
    Awareness of a particular fact or situation; a state of having been informed or made aware of something.
  3. 3
    Intellectual understanding; the state of appreciating truth or information.
  4. 4
    Familiarity or understanding of a particular skill, branch of learning etc.
  5. 5
    Justified true belief
  6. 6
    Sexual intimacy or intercourse (now usually in phrase carnal knowledge).
  7. 7
    Information or intelligence about something; notice.
  8. 8
    The total of what is known; all information and products of learning.
  9. 9
    Something that can be known; a branch of learning; a piece of information; a science.
  10. 10
    Acknowledgement.
  11. 11
    Notice, awareness.
  12. 12
    The deep familiarity with certain routes and places of interest required by taxicab drivers working in London, England.

Etymology

From Middle English knowleche, knaweleche, cnawlece (“knowledge”), from knowen (“to know, recognise”) + -leche. Related to Middle English knowlechen (“to find out, acknowledge”). For more on the Middle English suffix -leche, compare freelage. Compare also Old English cnāwelǣċ, cnāwelǣċing (“acknowledging, acknowledgement”).

Synonyms

awarenesscognizancekenknowingnesslearningknowledge

Antonyms

ignorance

This word in other languages

conocimiento(Español)connaissance(Français)Wissen(Deutsch)conhecimento(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: kknowledge,knnowledge,knolwedge,knoweldge,knowldege,knowleddge,knowledeg,knowledgge,knowlegde,knowlledge,knowwledge,knwoledge,konwledge,nkowledge

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of knowledge - 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.

kknowledge1knnowledge1knolwedge2knoweldge2knowldege2knowleddge1knowledeg2knowledgge1
Edit distance from "knowledge"

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 "knowledge"?
"knowledge" is spelled K-N-O-W-L-E-D-G-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈnɒlɪd͡ʒ/.
What does "knowledge" mean?
As a noun, "knowledge" means: The fact of knowing about something; general understanding or familiarity with a subject, place, situation etc.
What are common misspellings of "knowledge"?
Common misspellings include "kknowledge", "knnowledge", "knolwedge", "knoweldge", "knowldege". The correct spelling is "knowledge".
How do you pronounce "knowledge"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "knowledge" is /ˈnɒlɪd͡ʒ/. 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 "knowledge"?
From Middle English knowleche, knaweleche, cnawlece (“knowledge”), from knowen (“to know, recognise”) + -leche. Related to Middle English knowlechen (“to find out, acknowledge”). For more on the Middle English suffix -leche, compare freelage. Comp... 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 “knowledge”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is K-N-O-W-L-E-D-G-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈnɒlɪd͡ʒ/ (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