pyrite

/ˈpaɪˌɹaɪt/

//ˈpaɪˌɹaɪt// noun

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

"pyrite" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“pyrite” has 9 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #49,574. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#49,574
frequency rank, English
4,417
“P” headwords
9
tracked misspellings
11
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - The common mineral iron disulfide (FeS₂), of a pale brass-yellow color and brilliant metallic luster, crystallizing in the isometric system.

Corpus desk

Index EN-pyrite · pyrite · English

pyrite · rank #49,574 · 9 variants · 11 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #49,574
  • LEN-LONG 6 letters
  • VOW-3 3 vowels
  • CONFUS-MID 11 pairs
  • VAR-MID 9 variants
  • BOOK-MID 4,417
  • PHOTO-FINISH puritanical

Nearest frequency peer: puritanical (-2 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 “pyrite”

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

corpus weight

What this shows “pyrite” 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

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

pyrite vs pyre
67% similar
pyrite vs price
67% similar
pyrite vs prime
67% similar

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

Key facts for pyrite
PropertyValue
Headwordpyrite
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈpaɪˌɹaɪt/
Letters6
Frequency rank#49,574
Misspellings tracked9
Confusable pairs11
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “pyrite”

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right).pyritelands here:

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

Ticks step logarithmically, so each one marks a roughly tenfold drop in how often the word turns up. Same rarity band neighbours include “puritanical” (#49,572), “Quayle” (#49,576), “pseudoscience” (#49,571). Among 4,417 “P” headwords, “pyrite” is #49,574. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 9 spelling variants around pyrite (IPA /ˈpaɪˌɹaɪt/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #49,574 among 4,417 “P” headwords. Wiktionary lists 3 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 9 likely wrong-spelling variants for pyrite, with forms such as "ppyrite", "pryite", and "pyirte". 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 11 confusable-pair relationships, "pyre", "price", "prime", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: Recorded since 1555, from Old French pyrite (12th century), from Latin pȳritēs, from Ancient Greek πυρίτης λίθος (purítēs líthos, “stone of fire, flint”) (so called because it glitters), notably the first part: adjective πυρίτης (purítēs, “of or in fire”), … The correct English form is pyrite, spelled P-Y-R-I-T-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    The common mineral iron disulfide (FeS₂), of a pale brass-yellow color and brilliant metallic luster, crystallizing in the isometric system.
  2. 2
    Any metallic-looking sulphide, such as the above, which is the most common.
  3. 3
    (usually as a plural: pyrites) Any metal dichalcogenide that is isostructural to the common mineral.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. The pyrite output in 1961 was 1.2 million tons, derived mainly from the Hsiang Shan mine in Anhwei and the Ying-te mine in Kwangtung.
  2. China's 13 large foreign fertilizer plants ordered a few years ago are all scheduled to be in operation in a year or two.[…]China's biggest pyrite mine (openpit), being built in Yunfu, Kwangtung Province, was near completion.

Etymology

Recorded since 1555, from Old French pyrite (12th century), from Latin pȳritēs, from Ancient Greek πυρίτης λίθος (purítēs líthos, “stone of fire, flint”) (so called because it glitters), notably the first part: adjective πυρίτης (purítēs, “of or in fire”), from πῦρ (pûr, “fire”). Analyzable as pyr- + -ite

Synonyms

fool's goldiron pyrites

This word in other languages

pirita(Español)pyrite(Français)Pyrit(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • ppyrite
  • pryite
  • pyirte
  • pyriet
  • pyritte
  • pyrrite
  • pyrtie
  • pyyrite
  • yprite

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

ppyrite1pryite2pyirte2pyriet2pyritte1pyrrite1pyrtie2pyyrite1
Edit distance from "pyrite"

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 "pyrite"?
"pyrite" is spelled P-Y-R-I-T-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈpaɪˌɹaɪt/.
What does "pyrite" mean?
As a noun, "pyrite" means: The common mineral iron disulfide (FeS₂), of a pale brass-yellow color and brilliant metallic luster, crystallizing in the isometric system.
What words are commonly confused with "pyrite"?
"pyrite" is commonly confused with "pyre", "price", "prime". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "pyrite"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "pyrite" is /ˈpaɪˌɹaɪt/. 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 "pyrite"?
Recorded since 1555, from Old French pyrite (12th century), from Latin pȳritēs, from Ancient Greek πυρίτης λίθος (purítēs líthos, “stone of fire, flint”) (so called because it glitters), notably the first part: adjective πυρίτης (purítēs, “of or i... 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 "pyrite", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 6 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

Quayle#49,576rafter#49,579pooper#49,560piñata#49,555

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (9 here; floor ≥5).

Peebles9 variantsOsceola9 variantsscudder9 variantsNegros9 variants

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list