phrase

/fɹeɪz/

//fɹeɪz// noun

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

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

The verdict

“phrase” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #4,320 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#4,320
frequency rank, English
6
letters
9
tracked misspellings
16
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A short written or spoken expression.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

phrase vs purse
67% similar
phrase vs prose
67% similar
phrase vs please
67% similar

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

Key facts for phrase
PropertyValue
Headwordphrase
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/fɹeɪz/
Letters6
Frequency rank#4,320
Misspellings tracked9
Confusable pairs16
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “phrase” 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). phrase 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 phrase is 6 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /fɹeɪz/. Corpus data places it at rank #4,320 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 5 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 phrase, with forms such as "hprase", "pharse", and "phhrase". 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 16 confusable-pair relationships, "purse", "prose", "please", 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 Late Latin phrasis (“diction”), from Ancient Greek φράσις (phrásis, “manner of expression”), from φράζω (phrázō, “to tell, express”). The correct English form is phrase, spelled P-H-R-A-S-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    A short written or spoken expression.
  2. 2
    A word or, more commonly, a group of words that functions as a single unit in the syntax of a sentence, always containing an expressed or implied head (the principal word or subgroup, with core importance) and often consisting of a head plus some other elaborating words.
  3. 3
    A small section of music in a larger piece.
  4. 4
    A mode or form of speech; diction; expression.
  5. 5
    A short individual motion forming part of a choreographed dance.

Etymology

From Late Latin phrasis (“diction”), from Ancient Greek φράσις (phrásis, “manner of expression”), from φράζω (phrázō, “to tell, express”).

Synonyms

figure of speechlocutionphraseexpression

This word in other languages

expresión(Español)expression(Français)Redewendung(Deutsch)expressão(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: hprase,pharse,phhrase,phraes,phrasse,phrrase,phrsae,pphrase,prhase

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

hprase2pharse2phhrase1phraes2phrasse1phrrase1phrsae2pphrase1
Edit distance from "phrase"

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 "phrase"?
"phrase" is spelled P-H-R-A-S-E. The IPA pronunciation is /fɹeɪz/.
What does "phrase" mean?
As a noun, "phrase" means: A short written or spoken expression.
What words are commonly confused with "phrase"?
"phrase" is commonly confused with "purse", "prose", "please". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "phrase"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "phrase" is /fɹeɪz/. 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 "phrase"?
From Late Latin phrasis (“diction”), from Ancient Greek φράσις (phrásis, “manner of expression”), from φράζω (phrázō, “to tell, express”). 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 “phrase”

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

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