nemesis
/ˈnɛməsɪs/
"nemesis" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“nemesis” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #18,637 in English word frequency and used as a noun.
- #18,637
- frequency rank, English
- 7
- letters
- 10
- tracked misspellings
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - An enemy, especially an archenemy.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | nemesis |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Noun |
| IPA | /ˈnɛməsɪs/ |
| Letters | 7 |
| Frequency rank | #18,637 |
| Misspellings tracked | 10 |
| Confusable pairs | 0 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Where “nemesis” sits in English frequency
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
The English entry for nemesis is 7 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈnɛməsɪs/. Corpus data places it at rank #18,637 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 6 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.
Our generated misspelling index lists 10 likely wrong-spelling variants for nemesis, with forms such as "enmesis", "neemsis", and "nemeiss". 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. We don't track a confusable pairing for this entry, since nothing in our dataset looks or sounds close enough to cause mix-ups.
Etymologically, the entry records: From the Greek goddess of retribution Nemesis (Ancient Greek Νέμεσις (Némesis)). The correct English form is nemesis, spelled N-E-M-E-S-I-S.
Definition
- 1An enemy, especially an archenemy.
- 2A person or character who specifically brings about the downfall of another person or character, as an agent of that character's fate or destiny, especially within a narrative.
- 3The personification of the "fatal flaw" of a dramatic hero in the style of Greek tragedy.
- 4Polar opposite, especially of a literary character.
- 5The principle of retributive justice.
- 6A punishment or defeat that is deserved and cannot be avoided; (an instance of) retribution.
Etymology
From the Greek goddess of retribution Nemesis (Ancient Greek Νέμεσις (Némesis)).
This word in other languages
Common misspellings
Also misspelled as: enmesis,neemsis,nemeiss,nemesiss,nemessi,nemessis,nemmesis,nemseis,nmeesis,nnemesis
Misspelling Pattern Breakdown
How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of nemesis - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.
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 "nemesis"?
What does "nemesis" mean?
What are common misspellings of "nemesis"?
How do you pronounce "nemesis"?
What is the origin of the word "nemesis"?
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Using “nemesis”
The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.
- The one correct English spelling is N-E-M-E-S-I-S - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
- Say it as /ˈnɛməsɪs/ (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.