option

/ˈɒpʃən/

//ˈɒpʃən// noun

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

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

The verdict

“option” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #1,669 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#1,669
frequency rank, English
6
letters
8
tracked misspellings
9
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - One of a set of choices that can be made.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

option vs Orion
50% similar
option vs Orton
50% similar
option vs ovation
71% similar

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

Key facts for option
PropertyValue
Headwordoption
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈɒpʃən/
Letters6
Frequency rank#1,669
Misspellings tracked8
Confusable pairs9
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “option” 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). option 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 option is 6 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈɒpʃən/. Corpus data places it at rank #1,669 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 4 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 8 likely wrong-spelling variants for option, with forms such as "opiton", "opption", and "opsion". 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 9 confusable-pair relationships, "Orion", "Orton", "ovation", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: From French option, from Latin optiō (“choice; option; act of choosing”), from optō (“I choose, select”). Equivalent to opt + -ion. The correct English form is option, spelled O-P-T-I-O-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    One of a set of choices that can be made.
  2. 2
    The freedom or right to choose.
  3. 3
    A contract giving the holder the right to buy or sell an asset at a set strike price; can apply to financial market transactions, or to ordinary transactions for tangible assets such as a residence or automobile.
  4. 4
    The acquiring or retention of a nationality through personal choice as a right, bypassing selective legal mechanisms for naturalization, especially in cases where a territory is transferred or passed on from one state to another.

Etymology

From French option, from Latin optiō (“choice; option; act of choosing”), from optō (“I choose, select”). Equivalent to opt + -ion.

Synonyms

alternativechoicepossibilityoptioncontingency

This word in other languages

opción(Español)choix(Français)Alternative(Deutsch)opção(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: opiton,opption,opsion,optino,optionn,optoin,opttion,otpion

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

opiton2opption1opsion1optino2optionn1optoin2opttion1otpion2
Edit distance from "option"

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 "option"?
"option" is spelled O-P-T-I-O-N. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈɒpʃən/.
What does "option" mean?
As a noun, "option" means: One of a set of choices that can be made.
What words are commonly confused with "option"?
"option" is commonly confused with "Orion", "Orton", "ovation". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "option"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "option" is /ˈɒpʃən/. 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 "option"?
From French option, from Latin optiō (“choice; option; act of choosing”), from optō (“I choose, select”). Equivalent to opt + -ion. 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 “option”

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

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