quite

/kwaɪt/

//kwaɪt// adv

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

"quite" is a 5-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“quite” is in the everyday core of English, ranked #518 in English word frequency and used as an adverb.

#518
frequency rank, English
5
letters
5
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To the greatest extent or degree; completely, entirely.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

quite vs quiz
60% similar
quite vs quote
80% similar
quite vs quota
60% similar

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

Key facts for quite
PropertyValue
Headwordquite
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdverb
IPA/kwaɪt/
Letters5
Frequency rank#518
Misspellings tracked5
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “quite” 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). quite 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 quite is 5 letters long, classified as an adverb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /kwaɪt/. Corpus data places it at rank #518 in overall English word frequency, putting it firmly in the everyday core of the language. Wiktionary records 13 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 5 likely wrong-spelling variants for quite, with forms such as "qiute", "qquite", and "quitte". 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 20 confusable-pair relationships, "quiz", "quote", "quota", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: A development of quit, influence by Anglo-Norman quite. Doublet of coy, quit, quiet, and quietus. For an analogous semantic development from the same root, compare Armenian շատ (šat). The correct English form is quite, spelled Q-U-I-T-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    To the greatest extent or degree; completely, entirely.
  2. 2
    To the greatest extent or degree; completely, entirely.
  3. 3
    To the greatest extent or degree; completely, entirely.
  4. 4
    To the greatest extent or degree; completely, entirely.
  5. 5
    To the greatest extent or degree; completely, entirely.
  6. 6
    To the greatest extent or degree; completely, entirely.
  7. 7
    In a fully justified sense; truly, perfectly, actually.
  8. 8
    In a fully justified sense; truly, perfectly, actually.
  9. 9
    In a fully justified sense; truly, perfectly, actually.
  10. 10
    In a fully justified sense; truly, perfectly, actually.
  11. 11
    In a fully justified sense; truly, perfectly, actually.
  12. 12
    In a fully justified sense; truly, perfectly, actually.
  13. 13
    To a moderate extent or degree; somewhat, rather.

Etymology

A development of quit, influence by Anglo-Norman quite. Doublet of coy, quit, quiet, and quietus. For an analogous semantic development from the same root, compare Armenian շատ (šat).

This word in other languages

considerablemente(Español)tout à fait(Français)ganz(Deutsch)completamente(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: qiute,qquite,quitte,qutie,uqite

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of quite - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

qiute2qquite1quitte1qutie2uqite2
Edit distance from "quite"

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 "quite"?
"quite" is spelled Q-U-I-T-E. The IPA pronunciation is /kwaɪt/.
What does "quite" mean?
As an adverb, "quite" means: To the greatest extent or degree; completely, entirely.
What words are commonly confused with "quite"?
"quite" is commonly confused with "quiz", "quote", "quota". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "quite"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "quite" is /kwaɪt/. 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 "quite"?
A development of quit, influence by Anglo-Norman quite. Doublet of coy, quit, quiet, and quietus. For an analogous semantic development from the same root, compare Armenian շատ (šat). 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 “quite”

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

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