possibility

/ˌpɒs.ɪˈbɪl.ɪ.ti/

//ˌpɒs.ɪˈbɪl.ɪ.ti// noun

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

"possibility" is a 11-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“possibility” has 15 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #2,589. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#2,589
frequency rank, English
4,417
“P” headwords
15
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - The quality of being possible.

Corpus desk

Index EN-possibility · possibility · English

possibility · rank #2,589 · 15 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-COMMON #2,589
  • LEN-MEGA 11 letters
  • VOW-5 5 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-HIGH 15 variants
  • BOOK-MID 4,417
  • PHOTO-FINISH plot

Nearest frequency peer: plot (-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 “possibility”

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

corpus weight

What this shows “possibility” 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 possibility
PropertyValue
Headwordpossibility
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˌpɒs.ɪˈbɪl.ɪ.ti/
Letters11
Frequency rank#2,589
Misspellings tracked15
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “possibility”

Word frequency stretches from the small set of words we reach for constantly (left) out to the long tail barely used once in a while (right).possibilitylands here:

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

The axis is logarithmic, with each marked tick roughly ten times rarer than the last. Same rarity band neighbours include “plot” (#2,588), “random” (#2,590), “load” (#2,587). Among 4,417 “P” headwords, “possibility” is #2,589. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 15 spelling variants around possibility (IPA /ˌpɒs.ɪˈbɪl.ɪ.ti/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #2,589 among 4,417 “P” headwords. Wiktionary lists 4 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 15 likely wrong-spelling variants for possibility, with forms such as "opssibility", "posibility", and "posisbility". 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. This entry stands alone in our confusable dataset, since no other headword is close enough in sound or shape to pair with it.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English possibilite, from Middle French possibilité (from Old French possibilite) and directly from Late Latin possibilitās (“possibility”), from Latin possibilis (“possible”); see possible. By surface analysis, possible + -ity. The correct English form is possibility, spelled P-O-S-S-I-B-I-L-I-T-Y.

Definition

  1. 1
    The quality of being possible.
  2. 2
    A thing possible; that which may take place or come into being.
  3. 3
    An option or choice, usually used in context with future events.
  4. 4
    Capability, power or capacity to act.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. 'There is little possibility of that happening' 'I'd say there's rather a strongish possibility that it won't.
  2. Since the launch early last year of […] two Silicon Valley start-ups offering free education through MOOCs, massive open online courses, the ivory towers of academia have been shaken to their foundations. University brands built in some cases over centuries have been forced to contemplate the possibility that information technology will rapidly make their…

Etymology

From Middle English possibilite, from Middle French possibilité (from Old French possibilite) and directly from Late Latin possibilitās (“possibility”), from Latin possibilis (“possible”); see possible. By surface analysis, possible + -ity.

Synonyms

chancecontingencycontingenteventualitypossibilitypotentiality

Antonyms

impossibilitysure thing

This word in other languages

posibilidad(Español)possibilité(Français)Möglichkeit(Deutsch)possibilidade(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • opssibility
  • posibility
  • posisbility
  • possbiility
  • possibbility
  • possibiilty
  • possibilitty
  • possibilityy
  • possibiliyt
  • possibillity
  • possibiltiy
  • possibliity
  • possiiblity
  • ppossibility
  • psosibility

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

opssibility2posibility1posisbility2possbiility2possibbility1possibiilty2possibilitty1possibilityy1
Edit distance from "possibility"

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 "possibility"?
"possibility" is spelled P-O-S-S-I-B-I-L-I-T-Y. The IPA pronunciation is /ˌpɒs.ɪˈbɪl.ɪ.ti/.
What does "possibility" mean?
As a noun, "possibility" means: The quality of being possible.
What are common misspellings of "possibility"?
Common misspellings include "opssibility", "posibility", "posisbility", "possbiility", "possibbility". The correct spelling is "possibility".
How do you pronounce "possibility"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "possibility" is /ˌpɒs.ɪˈbɪl.ɪ.ti/. 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 "possibility"?
From Middle English possibilite, from Middle French possibilité (from Old French possibilite) and directly from Late Latin possibilitās (“possibility”), from Latin possibilis (“possible”); see possible. By surface analysis, possible + -ity. 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 "possibility", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 11 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

competitive#2,620corporation#2,524perspective#2,694educational#2,481

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (15 here; floor ≥5).

understood15 variantsdefinition15 variantsresolution15 variantsreasonable15 variants

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list