modifier
/ˈmɒdɪfaɪə/
"modifier" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“modifier” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #33,336 in English word frequency and used as a noun.
- #33,336
- frequency rank, English
- 8
- letters
- 11
- tracked misspellings
- 1
- confusable pair
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - One who, or that which, modifies.
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 | modifier |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Noun |
| IPA | /ˈmɒdɪfaɪə/ |
| Letters | 8 |
| Frequency rank | #33,336 |
| Misspellings tracked | 11 |
| Confusable pairs | 1 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Where “modifier” sits in English frequency
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
The English entry for modifier is 8 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈmɒdɪfaɪə/. Corpus data places it at rank #33,336 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 4 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 modifier, with forms such as "mdoifier", "mmodifier", and "moddifier". 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, "modified", a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.
Etymologically, the entry records: From modify + -er. The correct English form is modifier, spelled M-O-D-I-F-I-E-R.
Definition
- 1One who, or that which, modifies.
- 2A word, phrase, or clause that limits or qualifies the sense of another word or phrase. (It may be any of the following: an adjective phrase, an adverb phrase, a prepositional phrase, a noun phrase, or a subordinate clause.)
- 3A keyword that qualifies the meaning of other code.
- 4Ellipsis of modifier key.
Etymology
From modify + -er.
Synonyms
This word in other languages
Common misspellings
Also misspelled as: mdoifier,mmodifier,moddifier,modfiier,modifeir,modiffier,modifierr,modifire,modiifer,moidfier,omdifier
Misspelling Pattern Breakdown
How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of modifier - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.
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 "modifier"?
What does "modifier" mean?
What words are commonly confused with "modifier"?
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What is the origin of the word "modifier"?
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Using “modifier”
The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.
- The one correct English spelling is M-O-D-I-F-I-E-R - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
- Say it as /ˈmɒdɪfaɪə/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
- Don't mix it up with “modified” - see the side-by-side comparison. modifier vs modified
- 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.