limit

/ˈlɪm.ɪt/

//ˈlɪm.ɪt// noun

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

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

The verdict

“limit” has 7 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #2,047. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#2,047
frequency rank, English
2,297
“L” headwords
7
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - A restriction; a bound beyond which one may not go.

Corpus desk

Index EN-limit · limit · English

limit · rank #2,047 · 7 variants · 20 confusables

  • FREQ-COMMON #2,047
  • LEN-MID 5 letters
  • VOW-2 2 vowels
  • CONFUS-HIGH 20 pairs
  • VAR-MID 7 variants
  • BOOK-MID 2,297
  • PHOTO-FINISH labour

Nearest frequency peer: labour (-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 “limit”

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

corpus weight

What this shows “limit” 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).

limit vs lit
60% similar
limit vs list
60% similar
limit vs limp
60% similar

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

Key facts for limit
PropertyValue
Headwordlimit
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈlɪm.ɪt/
Letters5
Frequency rank#2,047
Misspellings tracked7
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “limit”

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right).limitlands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Same rarity band neighbours include “labour” (#2,046), “moon” (#2,048), “intended” (#2,045). Among 2,297 “L” headwords, “limit” is #2,047. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 7 spelling variants around limit (IPA /ˈlɪm.ɪt/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #2,047 among 2,297 “L” headwords. Wiktionary lists 13 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 7 likely wrong-spelling variants for limit, with forms such as "ilmit", "liimt", and "limitt". 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 20 confusable-pair relationships, "lit", "list", "limp", 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 Middle English limit, from Old French limit, from Latin līmes (“a cross-path or balk between fields, hence a boundary, boundary line or wall, any path or road, border, limit”). Displaced native Old English ġemǣre. Doublet of limes. The correct English form is limit, spelled L-I-M-I-T.

Definition

  1. 1
    A restriction; a bound beyond which one may not go.
  2. 2
    A value to which a sequence converges. Equivalently, the common value of the upper limit and the lower limit of a sequence: if the upper and lower limits are different, then the sequence has no limit (i.e., does not converge).
  3. 3
    Any of several abstractions of this concept of limit.
  4. 4
    The cone of a diagram through which any other cone of that same diagram can factor uniquely.
  5. 5
    Fixed limit.
  6. 6
    The final, utmost, or furthest point; the border or edge.
  7. 7
    The space or thing defined by limits.
  8. 8
    That which terminates a period of time; hence, the period itself; the full time or extent.
  9. 9
    A restriction; a check or curb; a hindrance.
  10. 10
    A determining feature; a distinguishing characteristic.
  11. 11
    The first group of riders to depart in a handicap race.
  12. 12
    A person who is exasperating, intolerable, astounding, etc.
  13. 13
    Ellipsis of harmonic limit.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. There are several existing limits to executive power.
  2. Two drinks is my limit tonight.

Etymology

From Middle English limit, from Old French limit, from Latin līmes (“a cross-path or balk between fields, hence a boundary, boundary line or wall, any path or road, border, limit”). Displaced native Old English ġemǣre. Doublet of limes.

Synonyms

boundboundarylimitationrestrictionthresholdrim

This word in other languages

límite(Español)limite(Français)Grenze(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • ilmit
  • liimt
  • limitt
  • limmit
  • limti
  • llimit
  • lmiit

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

ilmit2liimt2limitt1limmit1limti2llimit1lmiit2
Edit distance from "limit"

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 "limit"?
"limit" is spelled L-I-M-I-T. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈlɪm.ɪt/.
What does "limit" mean?
As a noun, "limit" means: A restriction; a bound beyond which one may not go.
What words are commonly confused with "limit"?
"limit" is commonly confused with "lit", "list", "limp". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "limit"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "limit" is /ˈlɪm.ɪt/. 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 "limit"?
From Middle English limit, from Old French limit, from Latin līmes (“a cross-path or balk between fields, hence a boundary, boundary line or wall, any path or road, border, limit”). Displaced native Old English ġemǣre. Doublet of limes. 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 "limit", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

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

ocean#2,049fixed#2,042proof#2,052enemy#2,038

Similar misspelling depth

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

chair7 variantshomes7 variantshonor7 variantsSteve7 variants

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list