permit

/pɚˈmɪt/

//pɚˈmɪt// verb

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

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

The verdict

“permit” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #4,970 in English word frequency and used as a verb.

#4,970
frequency rank, English
6
letters
9
tracked misspellings
11
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To allow (something) to happen, to give permission for.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

permit vs pert
67% similar
permit vs petit
67% similar
permit vs Perot
50% similar

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

Key facts for permit
PropertyValue
Headwordpermit
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/pɚˈmɪt/
Letters6
Frequency rank#4,970
Misspellings tracked9
Confusable pairs11
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “permit” 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). permit 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 permit is 6 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /pɚˈmɪt/. Corpus data places it at rank #4,970 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 7 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 9 likely wrong-spelling variants for permit, with forms such as "eprmit", "pemrit", and "perimt". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 11 confusable-pair relationships, "pert", "petit", "Perot", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English permitten, borrowed from Middle French permettre, from Latin permittō (“give up, allow”), from per (“through”) + mittō (“send”). The correct English form is permit, spelled P-E-R-M-I-T.

Definition

  1. 1
    To allow (something) to happen, to give permission for.
  2. 2
    To allow (someone) to do something; to give permission to.
  3. 3
    To allow for, to make something possible.
  4. 4
    To allow, to admit (of).
  5. 5
    To grant formal authorization for (something).
  6. 6
    To attempt to obtain or succeed in obtaining formal authorization for (something).
  7. 7
    To hand over, resign (something to someone).

Etymology

From Middle English permitten, borrowed from Middle French permettre, from Latin permittō (“give up, allow”), from per (“through”) + mittō (“send”).

This word in other languages

permitir(Español)permettre(Français)erlauben(Deutsch)permitir(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: eprmit,pemrit,perimt,permitt,permmit,permti,perrmit,ppermit,premit

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

eprmit2pemrit2perimt2permitt1permmit1permti2perrmit1ppermit1
Edit distance from "permit"

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 "permit"?
"permit" is spelled P-E-R-M-I-T. The IPA pronunciation is /pɚˈmɪt/.
What does "permit" mean?
As a verb, "permit" means: To allow (something) to happen, to give permission for.
What words are commonly confused with "permit"?
"permit" is commonly confused with "pert", "petit", "Perot". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "permit"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "permit" is /pɚˈmɪt/. 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 "permit"?
From Middle English permitten, borrowed from Middle French permettre, from Latin permittō (“give up, allow”), from per (“through”) + mittō (“send”). 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 “permit”

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

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