proposition

/ˌpɹɑpəˈzɪʃən/

//ˌpɹɑpəˈzɪʃən// noun

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

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

The verdict

“proposition” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #8,974 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#8,974
frequency rank, English
11
letters
17
tracked misspellings
2
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - The act of offering (an idea) for consideration.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

proposition vs proportion
82% similar
proposition vs preposition
91% similar

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

Key facts for proposition
PropertyValue
Headwordproposition
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˌpɹɑpəˈzɪʃən/
Letters11
Frequency rank#8,974
Misspellings tracked17
Confusable pairs2
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “proposition” 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). proposition 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 proposition is 11 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˌpɹɑpəˈzɪʃən/. Corpus data places it at rank #8,974 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 12 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 17 likely wrong-spelling variants for proposition, with forms such as "porposition", "pproposition", and "proopsition". 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. It also participates in 2 confusable-pair relationships, "proportion", "preposition", where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English proposicioun, from Old French proposicion, from Latin prōpositiō, from the verb prōponō. The correct English form is proposition, spelled P-R-O-P-O-S-I-T-I-O-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    The act of offering (an idea) for consideration.
  2. 2
    An idea, plan, or suggestion offered.
  3. 3
    An idea, plan, or suggestion offered.
  4. 4
    The terms of a transaction offered.
  5. 5
    In some states, a proposed statute or constitutional amendment to be voted on by the electorate.
  6. 6
    A complete sentence.
  7. 7
    The content of an assertion that may be taken as being true or false and is considered abstractly without reference to the linguistic sentence that constitutes the assertion; (Aristotelian logic) a predicate of a subject that is denied or affirmed and is connected by a copula.
  8. 8
    An assertion so formulated that it can be considered true or false.
  9. 9
    An assertion which is provably true, but not important enough to be called a theorem.
  10. 10
    A statement of religious doctrine; an article of faith; a creed.
  11. 11
    The part of a poem in which the author states the subject or matter of it.
  12. 12
    Misspelling of preposition.

Etymology

From Middle English proposicioun, from Old French proposicion, from Latin prōpositiō, from the verb prōponō.

Synonyms

proposalsuggestionproposalsuggestionproposalstatement

This word in other languages

proposición(Español)proposition(Français)proposição(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: porposition,pproposition,proopsition,propoistion,proposiiton,proposision,propositino,propositionn,propositoin,proposittion,propossition,propostiion,propposition,propsoition,prpoosition,prroposition,rpoposition

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of proposition - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

porposition2pproposition1proopsition2propoistion2proposiiton2proposision1propositino2propositionn1
Edit distance from "proposition"

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 "proposition"?
"proposition" is spelled P-R-O-P-O-S-I-T-I-O-N. The IPA pronunciation is /ˌpɹɑpəˈzɪʃən/.
What does "proposition" mean?
As a noun, "proposition" means: The act of offering (an idea) for consideration.
What words are commonly confused with "proposition"?
"proposition" is commonly confused with "proportion", "preposition". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "proposition"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "proposition" is /ˌpɹɑpəˈzɪʃən/. 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 "proposition"?
From Middle English proposicioun, from Old French proposicion, from Latin prōpositiō, from the verb prōponō. 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 “proposition”

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

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