pager

/peɪd͡ʒə(ɹ)/

//peɪd͡ʒə(ɹ)// noun

"pager" is a 5-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“pager” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #45,567 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#45,567
frequency rank, English
5
letters
7
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A wireless telecommunications device that receives text or voice messages.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

pager vs per
60% similar
pager vs par
60% similar
pager vs pair
60% similar

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

Key facts for pager
PropertyValue
Headwordpager
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/peɪd͡ʒə(ɹ)/
Letters5
Frequency rank#45,567
Misspellings tracked7
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “pager” 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). pager 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 pager is 5 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /peɪd͡ʒə(ɹ)/. Corpus data places it at rank #45,567 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 4 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 7 likely wrong-spelling variants for pager, with forms such as "apger", "paegr", and "pagerr". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "per", "par", "pair", 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 page + -er (agent noun suffix) or + -er (measurement suffix) (sense 3). The correct English form is pager, spelled P-A-G-E-R.

Definition

  1. 1
    A wireless telecommunications device that receives text or voice messages.
  2. 2
    A computer program running in a text terminal, used to view (but not modify) the contents of a text file moving down the file one line or one screen at a time.
  3. 3
    Something (a document, book etc.) that has a specified number of pages.
  4. 4
    One who makes up type into pages of a book; one who binds or sorts pages into a book.

Etymology

From page + -er (agent noun suffix) or + -er (measurement suffix) (sense 3).

This word in other languages

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: apger,paegr,pagerr,pagger,pagre,pgaer,ppager

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

apger2paegr2pagerr1pagger1pagre2pgaer2ppager1
Edit distance from "pager"

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 "pager"?
"pager" is spelled P-A-G-E-R. The IPA pronunciation is /peɪd͡ʒə(ɹ)/.
What does "pager" mean?
As a noun, "pager" means: A wireless telecommunications device that receives text or voice messages.
What words are commonly confused with "pager"?
"pager" is commonly confused with "per", "par", "pair". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "pager"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "pager" is /peɪd͡ʒə(ɹ)/. 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 "pager"?
From page + -er (agent noun suffix) or + -er (measurement suffix) (sense 3). 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 “pager”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is P-A-G-E-R - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /peɪd͡ʒə(ɹ)/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “per” - see the side-by-side comparison. pager vs per
  • 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