neurotic

/n(j)ʊəˈɹɒtɪk/

//n(j)ʊəˈɹɒtɪk// adj

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

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

The verdict

“neurotic” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #26,185 in English word frequency and used as an adjective.

#26,185
frequency rank, English
8
letters
11
tracked misspellings
1
confusable pair

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Affected with a neurosis.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

neurotic vs neurosis
75% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for neurotic
PropertyValue
Headwordneurotic
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/n(j)ʊəˈɹɒtɪk/
Letters8
Frequency rank#26,185
Misspellings tracked11
Confusable pairs1
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “neurotic” 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). neurotic lands here:

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

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

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for neurotic is 8 letters long, classified as an adjective, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /n(j)ʊəˈɹɒtɪk/. Corpus data places it at rank #26,185 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 3 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 neurotic, with forms such as "enurotic", "neruotic", and "neuortic". 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, "neurosis", a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: Formed of neuro- (“of nerves or the nervous system”) + -otic (“having abnormal condition”). The initial element, in turn, is from Ancient Greek νεῦρον (neûron, “nerve”). Attested from the 17th century. Compare French névrotique. The correct English form is neurotic, spelled N-E-U-R-O-T-I-C.

Definition

  1. 1
    Affected with a neurosis.
  2. 2
    Overly anxious.
  3. 3
    Useful in disorders of, or affecting, the nerves.

Etymology

Formed of neuro- (“of nerves or the nervous system”) + -otic (“having abnormal condition”). The initial element, in turn, is from Ancient Greek νεῦρον (neûron, “nerve”). Attested from the 17th century. Compare French névrotique.

This word in other languages

névrotique(Français)neurotisch(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: enurotic,neruotic,neuortic,neuroitc,neurotci,neuroticc,neurottic,neurrotic,neurtoic,nneurotic,nuerotic

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

enurotic2neruotic2neuortic2neuroitc2neurotci2neuroticc1neurottic1neurrotic1
Edit distance from "neurotic"

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 "neurotic"?
"neurotic" is spelled N-E-U-R-O-T-I-C. The IPA pronunciation is /n(j)ʊəˈɹɒtɪk/.
What does "neurotic" mean?
As an adjective, "neurotic" means: Affected with a neurosis.
What words are commonly confused with "neurotic"?
"neurotic" is commonly confused with "neurosis". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "neurotic"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "neurotic" is /n(j)ʊəˈɹɒtɪk/. 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 "neurotic"?
Formed of neuro- (“of nerves or the nervous system”) + -otic (“having abnormal condition”). The initial element, in turn, is from Ancient Greek νεῦρον (neûron, “nerve”). Attested from the 17th century. Compare French névrotique. 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 “neurotic”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is N-E-U-R-O-T-I-C - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /n(j)ʊəˈɹɒtɪk/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “neurosis” - see the side-by-side comparison. neurotic vs neurosis
  • 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.

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list