# parallax

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈpæɹ.əˌlæks/ · frequency rank #35,011

## Definitions
1. An apparent shift in the position of two stationary objects relative to each other as viewed by an observer, due to a change in observer position.
2. The angle of seeing of the astronomical unit.

## Etymology
From Middle French parallaxe, from Ancient Greek παράλλαξις (parállaxis, “alteration”) from παραλλάσσω (parallássō, “to cause to alternate”) from ἀλλάσσω (allássō, “to alter”) from ἄλλος (állos, “other”). By surface analysis, par- + all- + -ax.

## Easily confused with
- **parallel** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/parallax-vs-parallel)

## Common misspellings (10)
`aprallax`, `paarllax`, `paralalx`, `paralax`, `parallaxx`, `parallxa`, `parlalax`, `parrallax`, `pparallax`, `praallax`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/parallax