mathematics
/mæθ(.ə)ˈmæt.ɪks/
"mathematics" is a 11-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“mathematics” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #5,609 in English word frequency and used as a noun.
- #5,609
- frequency rank, English
- 11
- letters
- 17
- tracked misspellings
- 1
- confusable pair
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - An abstract representational system studying numbers, shapes, structures, quantitative change and relationships between them.
Visual similarity to commonly confused words
How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).
Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | mathematics |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Noun |
| IPA | /mæθ(.ə)ˈmæt.ɪks/ |
| Letters | 11 |
| Frequency rank | #5,609 |
| Misspellings tracked | 17 |
| Confusable pairs | 1 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Where “mathematics” sits in English frequency
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
The English entry for mathematics is 11 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /mæθ(.ə)ˈmæt.ɪks/. Corpus data places it at rank #5,609 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 2 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.
Our generated misspelling index lists 17 likely wrong-spelling variants for mathematics, with forms such as "amthematics", "mahtematics", and "matehmatics". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. It also participates in 1 confusable-pair relationship, "mathematical", a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.
Etymologically, the entry records: 1580s; From mathematic (noun) + -ics, from Middle English mathematique, methametik, matematik, matamatik, from Old French mathematique, from Latin mathēmatica (“mathematics”), from Ancient Greek μαθηματικός (mathēmatikós, “on the matter of that which is lea… The correct English form is mathematics, spelled M-A-T-H-E-M-A-T-I-C-S.
Definition
- 1An abstract representational system studying numbers, shapes, structures, quantitative change and relationships between them.
- 2A person's ability to count, calculate, and use different systems of mathematics at differing levels.
Etymology
1580s; From mathematic (noun) + -ics, from Middle English mathematique, methametik, matematik, matamatik, from Old French mathematique, from Latin mathēmatica (“mathematics”), from Ancient Greek μαθηματικός (mathēmatikós, “on the matter of that which is learned”), from μάθημα (máthēma, “knowledge, study, learning”). Displaced native Old English rīmcræft.
Synonyms
This word in other languages
Common misspellings
Also misspelled as: amthematics,mahtematics,matehmatics,matheamtics,mathemaitcs,mathematcis,mathematiccs,mathematicss,mathematisc,mathemattics,mathemmatics,mathemtaics,mathhematics,mathmeatics,matthematics,mmathematics,mtahematics
Misspelling Pattern Breakdown
How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of mathematics - 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 "mathematics"?
What does "mathematics" mean?
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Using “mathematics”
The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.
- The one correct English spelling is M-A-T-H-E-M-A-T-I-C-S - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
- Say it as /mæθ(.ə)ˈmæt.ɪks/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
- Don't mix it up with “mathematical” - see the side-by-side comparison. mathematics vs mathematical
- 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.