ligature

/ˈlɪɡət͡ʃɚ/

//ˈlɪɡət͡ʃɚ// noun

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

"ligature" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“ligature” has 11 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #38,018. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#38,018
frequency rank, English
2,297
“L” headwords
11
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - The act of tying or binding something.

Corpus desk

Index EN-ligature · ligature · English

ligature · rank #38,018 · 11 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #38,018
  • LEN-LONG 8 letters
  • VOW-4 4 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-MID 11 variants
  • BOOK-MID 2,297
  • PHOTO-FINISH liberator

Nearest frequency peer: liberator (-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 “ligature”

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

corpus weight

What this shows “ligature” 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
Key facts for ligature
PropertyValue
Headwordligature
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈlɪɡət͡ʃɚ/
Letters8
Frequency rank#38,018
Misspellings tracked11
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “ligature”

This scale runs from the tiny cluster of words that carry ordinary speech (left) to the long tail of words almost nobody reaches for (right).ligaturelands 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 “liberator” (#38,017), “lipped” (#38,020), “lethargic” (#38,015). Among 2,297 “L” headwords, “ligature” is #38,018. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 11 spelling variants around ligature (IPA /ˈlɪɡət͡ʃɚ/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #38,018 among 2,297 “L” headwords. Wiktionary lists 10 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 11 likely wrong-spelling variants for ligature, with forms such as "ilgature", "lgiature", and "liagture". 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 is not paired with a close-neighbour confusable in our dataset, suggesting its spelling stands apart enough that readers rarely confuse it with something else.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English ligature, from Middle French ligature, from Late Latin ligātūra, from Latin ligātus, past participle of ligāre (“to tie, bind”). The correct English form is ligature, spelled L-I-G-A-T-U-R-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    The act of tying or binding something.
  2. 2
    A cord or similar thing used to tie something; especially the thread used in surgery to close a vessel or duct.
  3. 3
    A thread or wire used to remove tumours, etc.
  4. 4
    The state of being bound or stiffened; stiffness.
  5. 5
    A character that visually combines multiple letters, such as æ, œ, ß or ij; also logotype. Sometimes called a typographic ligature.
  6. 6
    A group of notes played as a phrase, or the curved line that indicates such a phrase.
  7. 7
    A curve or line connecting notes; a slur.
  8. 8
    A piece used to hold a reed to the mouthpiece on woodwind instruments.
  9. 9
    Any binding, uniting, or restraining principle or agency.
  10. 10
    A spell or charm that induces sexual impotence.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. anti-ligature clothing
  2. I likewiſe felt ſeveral ſlender Ligatures acroſs my Body, from my Armpits to my Thighs. I could only look upwards, the Sun began to grow hot, and the Light offended mine Eyes.

Etymology

From Middle English ligature, from Middle French ligature, from Late Latin ligātūra, from Latin ligātus, past participle of ligāre (“to tie, bind”).

This word in other languages

ligadura(Español)ligature(Français)Ligatur(Deutsch)ligação(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • ilgature
  • lgiature
  • liagture
  • ligatrue
  • ligatture
  • ligatuer
  • ligaturre
  • ligautre
  • liggature
  • ligtaure
  • lligature

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of ligature - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

ilgature2lgiature2liagture2ligatrue2ligatture1ligatuer2ligaturre1ligautre2
Edit distance from "ligature"

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 "ligature"?
"ligature" is spelled L-I-G-A-T-U-R-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈlɪɡət͡ʃɚ/.
What does "ligature" mean?
As a noun, "ligature" means: The act of tying or binding something.
What are common misspellings of "ligature"?
Common misspellings include "ilgature", "lgiature", "liagture", "ligatrue", "ligatture". The correct spelling is "ligature".
How do you pronounce "ligature"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "ligature" is /ˈlɪɡət͡ʃɚ/. 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 "ligature"?
From Middle English ligature, from Middle French ligature, from Late Latin ligātūra, from Latin ligātus, past participle of ligāre (“to tie, bind”). 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 "ligature", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 8 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

Kirkwood#38,005Kerrigan#38,001mandolin#38,035inverter#37,986

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (11 here; floor ≥5).

Krugman11 variantsMiyazaki11 variantsHilbert11 variantsNickels11 variants

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list