metaphor

/ˈmɛ.tə.fə/

//ˈmɛ.tə.fə// noun

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

"metaphor" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“metaphor” has 12 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #10,726. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#10,726
frequency rank, English
36,575
“M” headwords
12
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - The use of a word, phrase, concept, or set of concepts to refer to something other than its literal meaning, invoking an implicit similarity between the thing described and what is denoted by the w...

Key facts for metaphor
PropertyValue
Headwordmetaphor
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈmɛ.tə.fə/
Letters8
Frequency rank#10,726
Misspellings tracked12
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “metaphor” 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). metaphor lands here:

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

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 12 spelling variants around metaphor (IPA /ˈmɛ.tə.fə/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #10,726 among 36,575 “M” headwords. Wiktionary lists 3 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 12 likely wrong-spelling variants for metaphor, with forms such as "emtaphor", "meatphor", and "metahpor". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. No close-neighbour confusable shows up for this headword in our dataset, which typically means the spelling is too distinctive to be mistaken for another word.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle French métaphore, from Latin metaphora, from Ancient Greek μεταφορά (metaphorá), from μεταφέρω (metaphérō, “I transfer, apply”), from μετά (metá, “with, across, after”) + φέρω (phérō, “I bear, carry”). The correct English form is metaphor, spelled M-E-T-A-P-H-O-R.

Definition

  1. 1
    The use of a word, phrase, concept, or set of concepts to refer to something other than its literal meaning, invoking an implicit similarity between the thing described and what is denoted by the word, etc., that is used.
  2. 2
    A word or phrase used in such implied comparison.
  3. 3
    The use of an everyday object or concept to represent an underlying facet of the computer and thus aid users in performing tasks.

Etymology

From Middle French métaphore, from Latin metaphora, from Ancient Greek μεταφορά (metaphorá), from μεταφέρω (metaphérō, “I transfer, apply”), from μετά (metá, “with, across, after”) + φέρω (phérō, “I bear, carry”).

This word in other languages

metáfora(Español)métaphore(Français)Metapher(Deutsch)metáfora(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • emtaphor
  • meatphor
  • metahpor
  • metaphhor
  • metaphorr
  • metaphro
  • metapohr
  • metapphor
  • metpahor
  • mettaphor
  • mmetaphor
  • mteaphor

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of metaphor - 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.

emtaphor2meatphor2metahpor2metaphhor1metaphorr1metaphro2metapohr2metapphor1
Edit distance from "metaphor"

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 "metaphor"?
"metaphor" is spelled M-E-T-A-P-H-O-R. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈmɛ.tə.fə/.
What does "metaphor" mean?
As a noun, "metaphor" means: The use of a word, phrase, concept, or set of concepts to refer to something other than its literal meaning, invoking an implicit similarity between the thing described and what is denoted by the w...
What are common misspellings of "metaphor"?
Common misspellings include "emtaphor", "meatphor", "metahpor", "metaphhor", "metaphorr". The correct spelling is "metaphor".
How do you pronounce "metaphor"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "metaphor" is /ˈmɛ.tə.fə/. 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 "metaphor"?
From Middle French métaphore, from Latin metaphora, from Ancient Greek μεταφορά (metaphorá), from μεταφέρω (metaphérō, “I transfer, apply”), from μετά (metá, “with, across, after”) + φέρω (phérō, “I bear, carry”). 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 “metaphor”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is M-E-T-A-P-H-O-R - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈmɛ.tə.fə/ (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

Same frequency band

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