posit

/ˈpɒzɪt/

//ˈpɒzɪt// noun

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

"posit" is a 5-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“posit” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #39,036 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#39,036
frequency rank, English
5
letters
7
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Something that is posited; a postulate.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

posit vs pot
60% similar
posit vs psi
60% similar
posit vs PST
0% similar

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

Key facts for posit
PropertyValue
Headwordposit
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈpɒzɪt/
Letters5
Frequency rank#39,036
Misspellings tracked7
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “posit” 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). posit 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 posit is 5 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈpɒzɪt/. Corpus data places it at rank #39,036 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 3 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 7 likely wrong-spelling variants for posit, with forms such as "opsit", "poist", and "positt". 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 20 confusable-pair relationships, "pot", "psi", "PST", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowed from Latin positus, perfect participle of pōnō (“put, place”). Noun sense 3 (type of number format) was coined by American computer scientist and businessman John Gustafson in 2017. The correct English form is posit, spelled P-O-S-I-T.

Definition

  1. 1
    Something that is posited; a postulate.
  2. 2
    Abbreviation of position.
  3. 3
    A number format representing a real number consisting of a sign bit, a variable-size "regime" part (which modifies the exponent), up to two exponent bits, and a fraction part, proposed as a more efficient alternative to IEEE 754 floats in AI applications.

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin positus, perfect participle of pōnō (“put, place”). Noun sense 3 (type of number format) was coined by American computer scientist and businessman John Gustafson in 2017.

This word in other languages

postulat(Français)Postulat(Deutsch)postulado(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: opsit,poist,positt,possit,posti,pposit,psoit

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

opsit2poist2positt1possit1posti2pposit1psoit2
Edit distance from "posit"

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 "posit"?
"posit" is spelled P-O-S-I-T. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈpɒzɪt/.
What does "posit" mean?
As a noun, "posit" means: Something that is posited; a postulate.
What words are commonly confused with "posit"?
"posit" is commonly confused with "pot", "psi", "PST". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "posit"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "posit" is /ˈpɒzɪt/. 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 "posit"?
Borrowed from Latin positus, perfect participle of pōnō (“put, place”). Noun sense 3 (type of number format) was coined by American computer scientist and businessman John Gustafson in 2017. 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 “posit”

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

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