logarithm

/ˈlɒɡ.ə.ɹɪ.ð(ə)m/

//ˈlɒɡ.ə.ɹɪ.ð(ə)m// noun

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

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

The verdict

“logarithm” is uncommon English (frequency #51,828 among 2,297 “L” headwords), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#51,828
frequency rank, English
2,297
“L” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - For a number x, the exponent by which a given base number must be raised in order to obtain the power x. Written log _bx. For example, log ₁₀1000=3 because 10³=1000 and log ₂16=4 because 2⁴=16.

Corpus desk

Index EN-logarithm · logarithm · English

logarithm · rank #51,828 · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-RARE #51,828
  • LEN-LONG 9 letters
  • VOW-3 3 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-MID 2,297
  • PHOTO-FINISH Lithgow

Nearest frequency peer: Lithgow (-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.

Long-tail ranks near “logarithm”

Sparse band: bars invert rank so rarer forms read shorter

corpus weight

What this shows Long-tail view: where “logarithm” sits against similarly uncommon English ranks.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for logarithm
PropertyValue
Headwordlogarithm
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈlɒɡ.ə.ɹɪ.ð(ə)m/
Letters9
Frequency rank#51,828
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “logarithm” in English

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

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

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Rare peers in the same band: “Lithgow” (#51,827), “liquidator” (#51,826), “Lordy” (#51,830). Among 2,297 “L” headwords, “logarithm” is #51,828. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

logarithm is uncommon English at frequency #51,828 among 2,297 “L” headwords, classed as anoun, transcribed /ˈlɒɡ.ə.ɹɪ.ð(ə)m/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. Gloss: "For a number x, the exponent by which a given base number must be raised in order to obtain the power x. Written log _bx. For example, log ₁₀1000=3 because 10³=1000 and log ₂16=4 because 2⁴=16.".

Zero misspellings are on record for logarithm in our index, since its letter sequence doesn't invite the usual edit-distance slips. This headword has no recorded confusable partner, since nothing in our dataset looks or sounds close enough to cause mix-ups.

Etymologically, the entry records: From New Latin logarithmus, term coined by Scottish mathematician John Napier from Ancient Greek λόγος (lógos, “word, reckoning”) and ἀριθμός (arithmós, “number”); compare rational number, from analogous Latin. The correct English form is logarithm, spelled L-O-G-A-R-I-T-H-M.

Definition

  1. 1
    For a number x, the exponent by which a given base number must be raised in order to obtain the power x. Written log _bx. For example, log ₁₀1000=3 because 10³=1000 and log ₂16=4 because 2⁴=16.

Recorded use

Wiktionary example

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

  1. For a currency which uses denominations of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, 500, 1000, etc., each jump in the base-10 logarithm from one denomination to the next higher is either 0.3010 or 0.3979.

Etymology

From New Latin logarithmus, term coined by Scottish mathematician John Napier from Ancient Greek λόγος (lógos, “word, reckoning”) and ἀριθμός (arithmós, “number”); compare rational number, from analogous Latin.

Synonyms

log

This word in other languages

logaritmo(Español)logarithme(Français)Logarithmus(Deutsch)logaritmo(Português)

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 "logarithm"?
"logarithm" is spelled L-O-G-A-R-I-T-H-M. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈlɒɡ.ə.ɹɪ.ð(ə)m/.
What does "logarithm" mean?
As a noun, "logarithm" means: For a number x, the exponent by which a given base number must be raised in order to obtain the power x. Written log _bx. For example, log ₁₀1000=3 because 10³=1000 and log ₂16=4 because 2⁴=16.
How do you pronounce "logarithm"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "logarithm" is /ˈlɒɡ.ə.ɹɪ.ð(ə)m/. 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 "logarithm"?
From New Latin logarithmus, term coined by Scottish mathematician John Napier from Ancient Greek λόγος (lógos, “word, reckoning”) and ἀριθμός (arithmós, “number”); compare rational number, from analogous Latin. 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 "logarithm", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 9 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

lethality#51,820modernise#51,853nameplate#51,867newsprint#51,875

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list