outsource

/ˈaʊtˌsoɹs/

//ˈaʊtˌsoɹs// verb

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

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

The verdict

“outsource” has 12 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #32,107. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#32,107
frequency rank, English
15,494
“O” headwords
12
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To transfer the management or day-to-day execution of a business function to a third-party service provider.

Key facts for outsource
PropertyValue
Headwordoutsource
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ˈaʊtˌsoɹs/
Letters9
Frequency rank#32,107
Misspellings tracked12
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “outsource” 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). outsource lands here:

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

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

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 12 spelling variants around outsource (IPA /ˈaʊtˌsoɹs/), averb. Corpus frequency is #32,107 among 15,494 “O” headwords. Dominant gloss: "To transfer the management or day-to-day execution of a business function to a third-party service provider.".

Our generated misspelling index lists 12 likely wrong-spelling variants for outsource, with forms such as "otusource", "oustource", and "outosurce". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. No close-neighbour confusable shows up for this headword in our dataset, since nothing in our dataset looks or sounds close enough to cause mix-ups.

Etymologically, the entry records: From out- + source. The correct English form is outsource, spelled O-U-T-S-O-U-R-C-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    To transfer the management or day-to-day execution of a business function to a third-party service provider.

Etymology

From out- + source.

Synonyms

farm outsubcontract

This word in other languages

tercerizar(Español)externaliser(Français)auslagern(Deutsch)terceirizar(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • otusource
  • oustource
  • outosurce
  • outsoruce
  • outsoucre
  • outsourcce
  • outsourec
  • outsourrce
  • outssource
  • outsuorce
  • outtsource
  • uotsource

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

otusource2oustource2outosurce2outsoruce2outsoucre2outsourcce1outsourec2outsourrce1
Edit distance from "outsource"

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 "outsource"?
"outsource" is spelled O-U-T-S-O-U-R-C-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈaʊtˌsoɹs/.
What does "outsource" mean?
As a verb, "outsource" means: To transfer the management or day-to-day execution of a business function to a third-party service provider.
What are common misspellings of "outsource"?
Common misspellings include "otusource", "oustource", "outosurce", "outsoruce", "outsoucre". The correct spelling is "outsource".
How do you pronounce "outsource"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "outsource" is /ˈaʊtˌsoɹs/. 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 "outsource"?
From out- + source. 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 “outsource”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is O-U-T-S-O-U-R-C-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈaʊtˌsoɹs/ (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

Same frequency band

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