# proportionality

> English word · Noun · IPA /pɹəpɔɹʃəˈnæləti/ · frequency rank #44,422

## Definitions
1. the property of being proportional
2. the principle that government action ought to be proportional to the ends achieved (e.g. the military should not be deployed to stop petty vandalism)
3. the degree to which something is in proportion

## Etymology
From proportional + -ity, from Latin proportionalitas.

## Easily confused with
- **proportionally** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/proportionality-vs-proportionally)

## Common misspellings (23)
`porportionality`, `pproportionality`, `prooprtionality`, `proporitonality`, `proporrtionality`, `proportinoality`, `proportioanlity`, `proportionailty`, `proportionalitty`, `proportionalityy`, `proportionaliyt`, `proportionallity`, `proportionaltiy`, `proportionlaity`, `proportionnality`, `proportoinality`, `proporttionality`, `propotrionality`, `propportionality`, `proprotionality`, `prpoortionality`, `prroportionality`, `rpoportionality`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/proportionality