observation
/ˌɒbzəˈveɪʃn̩/
"observation" is a 11-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“observation” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #5,818 in English word frequency and used as a noun.
- #5,818
- frequency rank, English
- 11
- letters
- 17
- tracked misspellings
- 2
- confusable pairs
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - The act of observing, and the fact of being observed (see observance)
Visual similarity to commonly confused words
How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).
Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | observation |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Noun |
| IPA | /ˌɒbzəˈveɪʃn̩/ |
| Letters | 11 |
| Frequency rank | #5,818 |
| Misspellings tracked | 17 |
| Confusable pairs | 2 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Where “observation” sits in English frequency
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
The English entry for observation is 11 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˌɒbzəˈveɪʃn̩/. Corpus data places it at rank #5,818 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 17 likely wrong-spelling variants for observation, with forms such as "boservation", "obbservation", and "obesrvation". 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. It also participates in 2 confusable-pair relationships, "observations", "observational", a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.
Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English observacion, borrowed from Middle French observacion. Also a borrowing from French observation and a learned borrowing from Latin observātiō(n-). Morphologically observe + -ation. The correct English form is observation, spelled O-B-S-E-R-V-A-T-I-O-N.
Definition
- 1The act of observing, and the fact of being observed (see observance)
- 2The act of noting and recording some event; or the record of such noting.
- 3A remark or comment.
- 4A judgement based on observing.
- 5Performance of what is prescribed; adherence in practice; observance.
- 6A regime under which a subject is routinely observed.
- 7A realization of a random variable.
Etymology
From Middle English observacion, borrowed from Middle French observacion. Also a borrowing from French observation and a learned borrowing from Latin observātiō(n-). Morphologically observe + -ation.
This word in other languages
Common misspellings
Also misspelled as: boservation,obbservation,obesrvation,obseravtion,obserrvation,observaiton,observasion,observatino,observationn,observatoin,observattion,observtaion,observvation,obsevration,obsrevation,obsservation,osbervation
Misspelling Pattern Breakdown
How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of observation - 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 "observation"?
What does "observation" mean?
What words are commonly confused with "observation"?
How do you pronounce "observation"?
What is the origin of the word "observation"?
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Using “observation”
The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.
- The one correct English spelling is O-B-S-E-R-V-A-T-I-O-N - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
- Say it as /ˌɒbzəˈveɪʃn̩/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
- Don't mix it up with “observations” - see the side-by-side comparison. observation vs observations
- 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.