plethora

/ˈplɛθəɹə/

//ˈplɛθəɹə// noun

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

"plethora" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“plethora” has 12 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #21,317. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#21,317
frequency rank, English
4,417
“P” headwords
12
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - An excessive amount or number; an abundance.

Corpus desk

Index EN-plethora · plethora · English

plethora · rank #21,317 · 12 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #21,317
  • LEN-LONG 8 letters
  • VOW-3 3 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-MID 12 variants
  • BOOK-MID 4,417
  • PHOTO-FINISH plutonium

Nearest frequency peer: plutonium (+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.

Frequency neighbourhood for “plethora”

Lower corpus rank = more everyday usage (inverted bar length for readability)

corpus weight

What this shows Bars show where “plethora” sits against the nearest ranked English headwords in the FrequencyWords band, not a reprint of letter-browse containment.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for plethora
PropertyValue
Headwordplethora
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈplɛθəɹə/
Letters8
Frequency rank#21,317
Misspellings tracked12
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “plethora” 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).plethoralands 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 “plutonium” (#21,318), “pitiful” (#21,315), “PowerPoint” (#21,319). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 12 spelling variants around plethora (IPA /ˈplɛθəɹə/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #21,317 among 4,417 “P” headwords. Wiktionary lists 2 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 12 likely wrong-spelling variants for plethora, with forms such as "lpethora", "pelthora", and "plehtora". 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. 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 Late Latin plēthōra, from Ancient Greek πληθώρη (plēthṓrē, “fullness, satiety”), from πλήθω (plḗthō, “to be full”) + -η (-ē, nominal suffix). The correct English form is plethora, spelled P-L-E-T-H-O-R-A.

Definition

  1. 1
    An excessive amount or number; an abundance.
  2. 2
    Excess of blood in the skin, especially in the face and especially chronically.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how plethora appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. The menu offers a plethora of cuisines from around the world.
  2. 1817, Francis Jeffrey, review of Lalla Rookh, in the Edinburgh Review He labours under a plethora of wit and imagination.

Etymology

From Late Latin plēthōra, from Ancient Greek πληθώρη (plēthṓrē, “fullness, satiety”), from πλήθω (plḗthō, “to be full”) + -η (-ē, nominal suffix).

Synonyms

glutmyriadsurfeitsuperfluityslew

This word in other languages

plétora(Español)pléthore(Français)Fülle(Deutsch)profusão(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • lpethora
  • pelthora
  • plehtora
  • plethhora
  • plethoar
  • plethorra
  • plethroa
  • pletohra
  • pletthora
  • pllethora
  • pltehora
  • pplethora

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

lpethora2pelthora2plehtora2plethhora1plethoar2plethorra1plethroa2pletohra2
Edit distance from "plethora"

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 "plethora"?
"plethora" is spelled P-L-E-T-H-O-R-A. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈplɛθəɹə/.
What does "plethora" mean?
As a noun, "plethora" means: An excessive amount or number; an abundance.
What are common misspellings of "plethora"?
Common misspellings include "lpethora", "pelthora", "plehtora", "plethhora", "plethoar". The correct spelling is "plethora".
How do you pronounce "plethora"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "plethora" is /ˈplɛθəɹə/. 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 "plethora"?
From Late Latin plēthōra, from Ancient Greek πληθώρη (plēthṓrē, “fullness, satiety”), from πλήθω (plḗthō, “to be full”) + -η (-ē, nominal suffix). 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 "plethora", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 8 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

quantify#21,322rallying#21,324renewing#21,336Michelin#21,285

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (12 here; floor ≥5).

recurrent12 variantsrequisite12 variantssecluded12 variantsmayonnaise12 variants

What to do next

You've looked up "plethora". Here's where to go from here.

  • 12 edit-distance misspelling variants are generated for spell-check research on this headword. See variants
  • Usage frequency rank #21,317 among English headwords in this corpus. Corpus statistics
  • Browse more English words in the "P" letter cohort. P–Z browse
  • PlainSpell rotates a curated Word of the Day from the English corpus, a passive way to discover vocabulary. Word of the Day

PlainSpell is a reference corpus, not spelling advice. Verify unusual forms in context.

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