magnify
/ˈmaɡnɪfaɪ/
"magnify" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“magnify” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #38,483 in English word frequency and used as a verb.
- #38,483
- frequency rank, English
- 7
- letters
- 11
- tracked misspellings
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To praise, glorify (someone or something, especially God).
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | magnify |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Verb |
| IPA | /ˈmaɡnɪfaɪ/ |
| Letters | 7 |
| Frequency rank | #38,483 |
| Misspellings tracked | 11 |
| Confusable pairs | 0 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Where “magnify” sits in English frequency
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
The English entry for magnify is 7 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈmaɡnɪfaɪ/. Corpus data places it at rank #38,483 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 5 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.
Our generated misspelling index lists 11 likely wrong-spelling variants for magnify, with forms such as "amgnify", "maggnify", and "maginfy". 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. Our dataset records no confusable match here, since no other headword is close enough in sound or shape to pair with it.
Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English magnifien, from Middle French magnifier, from Latin magnificāre, from magnificus. The correct English form is magnify, spelled M-A-G-N-I-F-Y.
Definition
- 1To praise, glorify (someone or something, especially God).
- 2To make (something) larger or more important.
- 3To make (someone or something) appear greater or more important than it is; to intensify, exaggerate.
- 4To make (something) appear larger by means of a lens, magnifying glass, telescope etc.
- 5To have effect; to be of importance or significance.
Etymology
From Middle English magnifien, from Middle French magnifier, from Latin magnificāre, from magnificus.
This word in other languages
Common misspellings
Also misspelled as: amgnify,maggnify,maginfy,magnfiy,magniffy,magnifyy,magniyf,magnnify,mangify,mganify,mmagnify
Misspelling Pattern Breakdown
How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of magnify - 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.
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 "magnify"?
What does "magnify" mean?
What are common misspellings of "magnify"?
How do you pronounce "magnify"?
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Is PlainSpell free to use?
Using “magnify”
The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.
- The one correct English spelling is M-A-G-N-I-F-Y - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
- Say it as /ˈmaɡnɪfaɪ/ (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.