nemesis

/ˈnɛməsɪs/

//ˈnɛməsɪs// noun

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

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

The verdict

“nemesis” has 10 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #18,637. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#18,637
frequency rank, English
1,534
“N” headwords
10
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - An enemy, especially an archenemy.

Corpus desk

Index EN-nemesis · nemesis · English

nemesis · rank #18,637 · 10 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #18,637
  • LEN-LONG 7 letters
  • VOW-3 3 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-MID 10 variants
  • BOOK-MID 1,534
  • PHOTO-FINISH myrtle

Nearest frequency peer: myrtle (-1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “nemesis”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “nemesis” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for nemesis
PropertyValue
Headwordnemesis
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈnɛməsɪs/
Letters7
Frequency rank#18,637
Misspellings tracked10
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “nemesis”

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right).nemesislands here:

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

The axis is logarithmic, with each marked tick roughly ten times rarer than the last. Same rarity band neighbours include “myrtle” (#18,636), “O'Reilly” (#18,638), “Mx” (#18,635). Among 1,534 “N” headwords, “nemesis” is #18,637. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 10 spelling variants around nemesis (IPA /ˈnɛməsɪs/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #18,637 among 1,534 “N” headwords. Wiktionary lists 6 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

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

  1. 1
    An enemy, especially an archenemy.
  2. 2
    A 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.
  3. 3
    The personification of the "fatal flaw" of a dramatic hero in the style of Greek tragedy.
  4. 4
    Polar opposite, especially of a literary character.
  5. 5
    The principle of retributive justice.
  6. 6
    A punishment or defeat that is deserved and cannot be avoided; (an instance of) retribution.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how nemesis appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. Batman is in constant conflict with his nemesis, The Joker.
  2. The roofer stayed in touch, committed to the downfall of his nemesis, Mikey. One week after his initial phone call, we were on our way to raid Mikey's trite home armed with a federal search warrant. There were six of us.

Etymology

From the Greek goddess of retribution Nemesis (Ancient Greek Νέμεσις (Némesis)).

This word in other languages

némesis(Español)

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.

enmesis2neemsis2nemeiss2nemesiss1nemessi2nemessis1nemmesis1nemseis2
Edit distance from "nemesis"

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"?
"nemesis" is spelled N-E-M-E-S-I-S. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈnɛməsɪs/.
What does "nemesis" mean?
As a noun, "nemesis" means: An enemy, especially an archenemy.
What are common misspellings of "nemesis"?
Common misspellings include "enmesis", "neemsis", "nemeiss", "nemesiss", "nemessi". The correct spelling is "nemesis".
How do you pronounce "nemesis"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "nemesis" is /ˈnɛməsɪs/. 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 "nemesis"?
From the Greek goddess of retribution Nemesis (Ancient Greek Νέμεσις (Némesis)). 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.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "nemesis", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 7 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

Orioles#18,640oysters#18,643mixtape#18,630milling#18,627

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (10 here; floor ≥5).

myrtle10 variantslikeness10 variantsissuance10 variantsrevered10 variants

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list