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” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #2,047 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#2,047
frequency rank, English
5
letters
7
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A restriction; a bound beyond which one may not go.

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)

Where “limit” 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). limit 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 limit is 5 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈlɪm.ɪt/. Corpus data places it at rank #2,047 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 13 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

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.

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.

Using “limit”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is L-I-M-I-T - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈlɪm.ɪt/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “lit” - see the side-by-side comparison. limit vs lit
  • 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