measure

/ˈmɛʒ.ə/

//ˈmɛʒ.ə// noun

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

"measure" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“measure” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #2,261 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#2,261
frequency rank, English
7
letters
9
tracked misspellings
5
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A prescribed quantity or extent.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

measure vs measures
88% similar
measure vs measured
88% similar
measure vs mature
71% similar

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

Key facts for measure
PropertyValue
Headwordmeasure
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈmɛʒ.ə/
Letters7
Frequency rank#2,261
Misspellings tracked9
Confusable pairs5
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “measure” 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). measure 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 measure is 7 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈmɛʒ.ə/. Corpus data places it at rank #2,261 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 19 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 9 likely wrong-spelling variants for measure, with forms such as "emasure", "maesure", and "measrue". 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 5 confusable-pair relationships, "measures", "measured", "mature", 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 mesure, from Old French mesure, from Latin mēnsūra (“a measure”), mētior (“to measure”, supine stem in mēns-) + -tūra. Largely displaced native Old English metan ("to measure" whence modern mete) and ġemet (“a measure”). See also -ure. The correct English form is measure, spelled M-E-A-S-U-R-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    A prescribed quantity or extent.
  2. 2
    A prescribed quantity or extent.
  3. 3
    A prescribed quantity or extent.
  4. 4
    The act or result of measuring.
  5. 5
    The act or result of measuring.
  6. 6
    The act or result of measuring.
  7. 7
    The act or result of measuring.
  8. 8
    The act or result of measuring.
  9. 9
    The act or result of measuring.
  10. 10
    The act or result of measuring.
  11. 11
    The act or result of measuring.
  12. 12
    The act or result of measuring.
  13. 13
    The act or result of measuring.
  14. 14
    Metrical rhythm.
  15. 15
    Metrical rhythm.
  16. 16
    Metrical rhythm.
  17. 17
    Metrical rhythm.
  18. 18
    A course of action.
  19. 19
    A course of action.

Etymology

From Middle English mesure, from Old French mesure, from Latin mēnsūra (“a measure”), mētior (“to measure”, supine stem in mēns-) + -tūra. Largely displaced native Old English metan ("to measure" whence modern mete) and ġemet (“a measure”). See also -ure.

Synonyms

barmetric

This word in other languages

medición(Español)mesure(Français)Maß(Deutsch)medida(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: emasure,maesure,measrue,meassure,measuer,measurre,meausre,mesaure,mmeasure

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of measure - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

emasure2maesure2measrue2meassure1measuer2measurre1meausre2mesaure2
Edit distance from "measure"

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 "measure"?
"measure" is spelled M-E-A-S-U-R-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈmɛʒ.ə/.
What does "measure" mean?
As a noun, "measure" means: A prescribed quantity or extent.
What words are commonly confused with "measure"?
"measure" is commonly confused with "measures", "measured", "mature". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "measure"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "measure" is /ˈmɛʒ.ə/. 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 "measure"?
From Middle English mesure, from Old French mesure, from Latin mēnsūra (“a measure”), mētior (“to measure”, supine stem in mēns-) + -tūra. Largely displaced native Old English metan ("to measure" whence modern mete) and ġemet (“a measure”). See al... 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 “measure”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is M-E-A-S-U-R-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈmɛʒ.ə/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “measures” - see the side-by-side comparison. measure vs measures
  • 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