population density

noun

"population-density" is a 17-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“population density” is uncommon English (outside the top frequency list), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

Unranked
below top-frequency English
18
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Average population per unit area; especially, the average number of people who live per square kilometer (or square mile) of land.

Key facts for population density
PropertyValue
Headwordpopulation density
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
Letters18
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “population density” sits in English frequency

population density falls outside the top-100,000 ranked English words, the long-tail zone of technical, archaic, or low-frequency vocabulary, exactly where readers second-guess spellings most.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

population density is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as anoun. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. Gloss: "Average population per unit area; especially, the average number of people who live per square kilometer (or square mile) of land.".

We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for population density, suggesting the orthography follows predictable English patterns. Our confusable-pair dataset has no match for it, which typically means the spelling is too distinctive to be mistaken for another word.

No documented word history exists for this headword, so its spelling pattern is best understood through pronunciation rather than a traceable origin. The correct English form is population density, spelled P-O-P-U-L-A-T-I-O-N- -D-E-N-S-I-T-Y.

Definition

  1. 1
    Average population per unit area; especially, the average number of people who live per square kilometer (or square mile) of land.

This word in other languages

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "population density"?
"population density" is spelled P-O-P-U-L-A-T-I-O-N- -D-E-N-S-I-T-Y.
What does "population density" mean?
As a noun, "population density" means: Average population per unit area; especially, the average number of people who live per square kilometer (or square mile) of land.
What language does "population density" come from?
"population density" is a English word. PlainSpell's reference spans five languages -- English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and German -- with definitions, pronunciations, and spelling data for each.
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 “population density”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is P-O-P-U-L-A-T-I-O-N- -D-E-N-S-I-T-Y - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • 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