notion

/ˈnəʊʃən/

//ˈnəʊʃən// noun

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

"notion" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“notion” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #5,441 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#5,441
frequency rank, English
6
letters
9
tracked misspellings
10
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Mental apprehension of whatever may be known, thought, or imagined; idea, concept.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

notion vs notions
86% similar
notion vs notional
75% similar
notion vs noon
67% similar

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

Key facts for notion
PropertyValue
Headwordnotion
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈnəʊʃən/
Letters6
Frequency rank#5,441
Misspellings tracked9
Confusable pairs10
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “notion” 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). notion 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 notion is 6 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈnəʊʃən/. Corpus data places it at rank #5,441 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 7 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 9 likely wrong-spelling variants for notion, with forms such as "nnotion", "noiton", and "nosion". 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 10 confusable-pair relationships, "notions", "notional", "noon", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Latin nōtiō (“a becoming acquainted, a taking cognizance, an examination, an investigation, a conception, idea, notion”), from nōscō (“to know”). Compare French notion. See know. The correct English form is notion, spelled N-O-T-I-O-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    Mental apprehension of whatever may be known, thought, or imagined; idea, concept.
  2. 2
    A sentiment; an opinion.
  3. 3
    Sense; mind.
  4. 4
    An invention; an ingenious device; a knickknack.
  5. 5
    Any small article used in sewing and haberdashery, either for attachment to garments or as a tool, such as a button, zipper, or thimble.
  6. 6
    Inclination; intention; predisposition; disposition.
  7. 7
    Pretentiousness or overambition.

Etymology

From Latin nōtiō (“a becoming acquainted, a taking cognizance, an examination, an investigation, a conception, idea, notion”), from nōscō (“to know”). Compare French notion. See know.

This word in other languages

noción(Español)notion(Français)Ahnung(Deutsch)idéia(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: nnotion,noiton,nosion,notino,notionn,notoin,nottion,ntoion,ontion

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of notion - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

nnotion1noiton2nosion1notino2notionn1notoin2nottion1ntoion2
Edit distance from "notion"

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 "notion"?
"notion" is spelled N-O-T-I-O-N. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈnəʊʃən/.
What does "notion" mean?
As a noun, "notion" means: Mental apprehension of whatever may be known, thought, or imagined; idea, concept.
What words are commonly confused with "notion"?
"notion" is commonly confused with "notions", "notional", "noon". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "notion"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "notion" is /ˈnəʊʃən/. 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 "notion"?
From Latin nōtiō (“a becoming acquainted, a taking cognizance, an examination, an investigation, a conception, idea, notion”), from nōscō (“to know”). Compare French notion. See know. 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 “notion”

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

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