photocopy

/ˈfəʊtəˌkɒpi/

//ˈfəʊtəˌkɒpi// noun

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

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

The verdict

“photocopy” has 14 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #41,808. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#41,808
frequency rank, English
4,417
“P” headwords
14
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - A copy made using a photocopier.

Corpus desk

Index EN-photocopy · photocopy · English

photocopy · rank #41,808 · 14 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #41,808
  • LEN-LONG 9 letters
  • VOW-4 4 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-HIGH 14 variants
  • BOOK-MID 4,417
  • PHOTO-FINISH persisting

Nearest frequency peer: persisting (-1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “photocopy”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “photocopy” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for photocopy
PropertyValue
Headwordphotocopy
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈfəʊtəˌkɒpi/
Letters9
Frequency rank#41,808
Misspellings tracked14
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “photocopy”

This scale runs from the tiny cluster of words that carry ordinary speech (left) to the long tail of words almost nobody reaches for (right).photocopylands here:

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

Ticks step logarithmically, so each one marks a roughly tenfold drop in how often the word turns up. Same rarity band neighbours include “persisting” (#41,807), “peasantry” (#41,806), “pitman” (#41,810). Among 4,417 “P” headwords, “photocopy” is #41,808. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 14 spelling variants around photocopy (IPA /ˈfəʊtəˌkɒpi/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #41,808 among 4,417 “P” headwords. Dominant gloss: "A copy made using a photocopier.".

Our generated misspelling index lists 14 likely wrong-spelling variants for photocopy, with forms such as "hpotocopy", "phhotocopy", and "phootcopy". 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. No confusable counterpart is on file for this word, a sign it's visually distinctive enough not to be mixed up with another word.

Etymologically, the entry records: From photo- + copy. The correct English form is photocopy, spelled P-H-O-T-O-C-O-P-Y.

Definition

  1. 1
    A copy made using a photocopier.

Etymology

From photo- + copy.

Synonyms

copyphotostatxeroxxerox copy

This word in other languages

fotocopia(Español)photocopie(Français)Fotokopie(Deutsch)fotocópia(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • hpotocopy
  • phhotocopy
  • phootcopy
  • photcoopy
  • photoccopy
  • photocoppy
  • photocopyy
  • photocoyp
  • photocpoy
  • photoocpy
  • phottocopy
  • phtoocopy
  • pohtocopy
  • pphotocopy

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

hpotocopy2phhotocopy1phootcopy2photcoopy2photoccopy1photocoppy1photocopyy1photocoyp2
Edit distance from "photocopy"

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 "photocopy"?
"photocopy" is spelled P-H-O-T-O-C-O-P-Y. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈfəʊtəˌkɒpi/.
What does "photocopy" mean?
As a noun, "photocopy" means: A copy made using a photocopier.
What are common misspellings of "photocopy"?
Common misspellings include "hpotocopy", "phhotocopy", "phootcopy", "photcoopy", "photoccopy". The correct spelling is "photocopy".
How do you pronounce "photocopy"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "photocopy" is /ˈfəʊtəˌkɒpi/. 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 "photocopy"?
From photo- + copy. 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.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "photocopy", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 9 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

peasantry#41,806overthink#41,797outermost#41,794obliquely#41,791

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (14 here; floor ≥5).

reposting14 variantsMachiavelli14 variantsLongfellow14 variantsshockwave14 variants

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list