neologism

/niːˈɒləd͡ʒɪzəm/

//niːˈɒləd͡ʒɪzəm// noun

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

"neologism" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“neologism” is uncommon English (frequency #94,041 among 24,391 “N” headwords), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#94,041
frequency rank, English
24,391
“N” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A word or phrase which has recently been coined; a new word or phrase.

Key facts for neologism
PropertyValue
Headwordneologism
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/niːˈɒləd͡ʒɪzəm/
Letters9
Frequency rank#94,041
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “neologism” 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). neologism lands here:

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

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

Rare enough to double-check

neologism is uncommon English at frequency #94,041 among 24,391 “N” headwords, classed as anoun, transcribed /niːˈɒləd͡ʒɪzəm/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 5 senses are on record.

The misspelling generator found no plausible variants for neologism, since its letter sequence doesn't invite the usual edit-distance slips. This entry stands alone in our confusable dataset, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.

Etymologically, the entry records: From French néologisme, from Ancient Greek νέος (néos, “new”) + λόγος (lógos, “word”) + -ism. The correct English form is neologism, spelled N-E-O-L-O-G-I-S-M.

Definition

  1. 1
    A word or phrase which has recently been coined; a new word or phrase.
  2. 2
    An existing word or phrase which has gained a new meaning.
  3. 3
    The act or instance of coining, or uttering a new word.
  4. 4
    The newly coined, meaningless words or phrases of someone with a psychosis, usually schizophrenia.
  5. 5
    Synonym of neology.

Etymology

From French néologisme, from Ancient Greek νέος (néos, “new”) + λόγος (lógos, “word”) + -ism.

Antonyms

paleologism

This word in other languages

neologismo(Español)néologisme(Français)Neologismus(Deutsch)neologismo(Português)

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 "neologism"?
"neologism" is spelled N-E-O-L-O-G-I-S-M. The IPA pronunciation is /niːˈɒləd͡ʒɪzəm/.
What does "neologism" mean?
As a noun, "neologism" means: A word or phrase which has recently been coined; a new word or phrase.
How do you pronounce "neologism"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "neologism" is /niːˈɒləd͡ʒɪzəm/. 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 "neologism"?
From French néologisme, from Ancient Greek νέος (néos, “new”) + λόγος (lógos, “word”) + -ism. 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 “neologism”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is N-E-O-L-O-G-I-S-M - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /niːˈɒləd͡ʒɪzəm/ (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

Other uncommon English words near this rank

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