patina

/ˈpætɪnə/

//ˈpætɪnə// noun

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

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

The verdict

“patina” has 8 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #42,812. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#42,812
frequency rank, English
46,516
“P” headwords
8
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A paten, flat type of dish.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

patina vs Putin
50% similar
patina vs patio
67% similar
patina vs Patna
67% similar

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

Key facts for patina
PropertyValue
Headwordpatina
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈpætɪnə/
Letters6
Frequency rank#42,812
Misspellings tracked8
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “patina” 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). patina 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 8 spelling variants around patina (IPA /ˈpætɪnə/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #42,812 among 46,516 “P” headwords. Wiktionary lists 4 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 8 likely wrong-spelling variants for patina, with forms such as "aptina", "paitna", and "patian". 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 20 confusable-pair relationships, "Putin", "patio", "Patna", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowed from Italian patina, from Latin patina (“dish, pan”), itself a borrowing from Ancient Greek πατάνη (patánē), either from Proto-Indo-European *peth₂- (“to spread”) or from Pre-Greek. Doublet of paten, patena, and patine. The correct English form is patina, spelled P-A-T-I-N-A.

Definition

  1. 1
    A paten, flat type of dish.
  2. 2
    The colour or incrustation which age and wear give to (mainly metallic) objects; especially, the green rust which covers works of art such as ancient bronzes, coins and medals.
  3. 3
    A green colour, tinted with grey, like that of bronze patina.
  4. 4
    A gloss or superficial layer.

Etymology

Borrowed from Italian patina, from Latin patina (“dish, pan”), itself a borrowing from Ancient Greek πατάνη (patánē), either from Proto-Indo-European *peth₂- (“to spread”) or from Pre-Greek. Doublet of paten, patena, and patine.

This word in other languages

pátina(Español)patène(Français)Patina(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • aptina
  • paitna
  • patian
  • patinna
  • patnia
  • pattina
  • ppatina
  • ptaina

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of patina - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

aptina2paitna2patian2patinna1patnia2pattina1ppatina1ptaina2
Edit distance from "patina"

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 "patina"?
"patina" is spelled P-A-T-I-N-A. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈpætɪnə/.
What does "patina" mean?
As a noun, "patina" means: A paten, flat type of dish.
What words are commonly confused with "patina"?
"patina" is commonly confused with "Putin", "patio", "Patna". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "patina"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "patina" is /ˈpætɪnə/. 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 "patina"?
Borrowed from Italian patina, from Latin patina (“dish, pan”), itself a borrowing from Ancient Greek πατάνη (patánē), either from Proto-Indo-European *peth₂- (“to spread”) or from Pre-Greek. Doublet of paten, patena, and patine. 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 “patina”

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

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