probity

/ˈpɹəʊbɪti/

//ˈpɹəʊbɪti// noun

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

"probity" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“probity” is uncommon English (frequency #60,395 among 4,417 “P” headwords), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#60,395
frequency rank, English
4,417
“P” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - Integrity, especially of the quality of having strong moral principles; decency and honesty.

Corpus desk

Index EN-probity · probity · English

probity · rank #60,395 · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-RARE #60,395
  • LEN-LONG 7 letters
  • VOW-3 3 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-MID 4,417
  • PHOTO-FINISH proboscis

Nearest frequency peer: proboscis (+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.

Long-tail ranks near “probity”

Sparse band: bars invert rank so rarer forms read shorter

corpus weight

What this shows Long-tail view: where “probity” sits against similarly uncommon English ranks.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for probity
PropertyValue
Headwordprobity
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈpɹəʊbɪti/
Letters7
Frequency rank#60,395
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “probity” in English

This scale runs from the tiny cluster of words that carry ordinary speech (left) to the long tail of words almost nobody reaches for (right).probityfalls in this rarity band:

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

The axis is logarithmic, with each marked tick roughly ten times rarer than the last. Rare peers in the same band: “proboscis” (#60,396), “Prieto” (#60,393), “proclivity” (#60,397). Among 4,417 “P” headwords, “probity” is #60,395. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

probity is uncommon English at frequency #60,395 among 4,417 “P” headwords, classed as anoun, transcribed /ˈpɹəʊbɪti/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. Gloss: "Integrity, especially of the quality of having strong moral principles; decency and honesty.".

The misspelling generator found no plausible variants for probity, since its letter pattern doesn't lend itself to common typo substitutions. No close-neighbour confusable shows up for this headword in our dataset, which tends to mean the word is visually distinctive enough to stand on its own.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle French probité, from Latin probitās (“uprightness, honesty”), from probus (“good, excellent, honest”); see probe, prove. The correct English form is probity, spelled P-R-O-B-I-T-Y.

Definition

  1. 1
    Integrity, especially of the quality of having strong moral principles; decency and honesty.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. […] they can but bend our hearts to the love of probity and true honour […]
  2. [W]hen the interests or reputation of their own nation come into collision with those of another, they go to the opposite extreme, and forget their usual probity and candour, in the indulgence of spleen, and an illiberal spirit of ridicule.

Etymology

From Middle French probité, from Latin probitās (“uprightness, honesty”), from probus (“good, excellent, honest”); see probe, prove.

Synonyms

angelicalnessdecencygodlinesshonestyhonorintegrityprobityproprietyrectituderighteousnessrightfulnesssaintlikenesssaintlinessseemlihoodseemlinessuprightnessvirtuousness

Antonyms

badnessimprobity

This word in other languages

probidad(Español)Rechtschaffenheit(Deutsch)

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 "probity"?
"probity" is spelled P-R-O-B-I-T-Y. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈpɹəʊbɪti/.
What does "probity" mean?
As a noun, "probity" means: Integrity, especially of the quality of having strong moral principles; decency and honesty.
How do you pronounce "probity"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "probity" is /ˈpɹəʊbɪti/. 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 "probity"?
From Middle French probité, from Latin probitās (“uprightness, honesty”), from probus (“good, excellent, honest”); see probe, prove. 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 "probity", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 7 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

Rackham#60,403pompano#60,384Pinkett#60,369Pfister#60,363

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list