question

/ˈkwɛs.tʃən/

//ˈkwɛs.tʃən// noun

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

"question" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“question” is in the everyday core of English, ranked #448 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#448
frequency rank, English
8
letters
12
tracked misspellings
3
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A worded or expressed sentence, phrase, or only a word on its own, which asks for information, a reply, or a response; an interrogative.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

question vs questions
89% similar
question vs questioned
80% similar
question vs Quentin
63% similar

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

Key facts for question
PropertyValue
Headwordquestion
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈkwɛs.tʃən/
Letters8
Frequency rank#448
Misspellings tracked12
Confusable pairs3
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “question” 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). question 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 question is 8 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈkwɛs.tʃən/. Corpus data places it at rank #448 in overall English word frequency, putting it firmly in the everyday core of the language. Wiktionary records 6 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 12 likely wrong-spelling variants for question, with forms such as "qeustion", "qquestion", and "quesiton". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 3 confusable-pair relationships, "questions", "questioned", "Quentin", since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English questioun, from Anglo-Norman questiun, from Old French question, from Latin quaestiōnem, accusative of quaestiō (“a seeking, investigation, inquiry, question”), from quaerere (“to seek, ask, inquire”), of uncertain origin, but possibly f… The correct English form is question, spelled Q-U-E-S-T-I-O-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    A worded or expressed sentence, phrase, or only a word on its own, which asks for information, a reply, or a response; an interrogative.
  2. 2
    A subject or topic for consideration or investigation.
  3. 3
    A doubt or challenge about the truth, accuracy, or validity of a matter.
  4. 4
    A proposal to a meeting as a topic for deliberation.
  5. 5
    Interrogation by torture.
  6. 6
    Talk; conversation; speech.

Etymology

From Middle English questioun, from Anglo-Norman questiun, from Old French question, from Latin quaestiōnem, accusative of quaestiō (“a seeking, investigation, inquiry, question”), from quaerere (“to seek, ask, inquire”), of uncertain origin, but possibly from Proto-Italic *kʷaizeō, from Proto-Indo-European *kʷeh₂- (“to acquire”). Partially displaced native Old English āscung. Compare also Middle Low German quēstie (“questioning; inquiry”), Middle High German questje (“question”). Cognates include English quest.

This word in other languages

pregunta(Español)question(Français)Frage(Deutsch)questão(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: qeustion,qquestion,quesiton,quession,quesstion,questino,questionn,questoin,questtion,quetsion,qusetion,uqestion

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of question - 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.

qeustion2qquestion1quesiton2quession1quesstion1questino2questionn1questoin2
Edit distance from "question"

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 "question"?
"question" is spelled Q-U-E-S-T-I-O-N. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈkwɛs.tʃən/.
What does "question" mean?
As a noun, "question" means: A worded or expressed sentence, phrase, or only a word on its own, which asks for information, a reply, or a response; an interrogative.
What words are commonly confused with "question"?
"question" is commonly confused with "questions", "questioned", "Quentin". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "question"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "question" is /ˈkwɛs.tʃən/. 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 "question"?
From Middle English questioun, from Anglo-Norman questiun, from Old French question, from Latin quaestiōnem, accusative of quaestiō (“a seeking, investigation, inquiry, question”), from quaerere (“to seek, ask, inquire”), of uncertain origin, but ... 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 “question”

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

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