radio

/ˈɹeɪdiˌəʊ/

//ˈɹeɪdiˌəʊ// noun

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

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

The verdict

“radio” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #1,059 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#1,059
frequency rank, English
5
letters
6
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - The technology that allows for the transmission of sound or other signals by modulation of electromagnetic waves.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

radio vs Rio
40% similar
radio vs Rao
40% similar
radio vs rain
60% similar

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

Key facts for radio
PropertyValue
Headwordradio
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈɹeɪdiˌəʊ/
Letters5
Frequency rank#1,059
Misspellings tracked6
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “radio” 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). radio 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 radio is 5 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈɹeɪdiˌəʊ/. Corpus data places it at rank #1,059 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 5 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 6 likely wrong-spelling variants for radio, with forms such as "ardio", "raddio", and "radoi". 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 20 confusable-pair relationships, "Rio", "Rao", "rain", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: Short for radiotelegraphy. The correct English form is radio, spelled R-A-D-I-O.

Definition

  1. 1
    The technology that allows for the transmission of sound or other signals by modulation of electromagnetic waves.
  2. 2
    A device that can capture (receive) the signal sent over radio waves and render the modulated signal as sound.
  3. 3
    Any audio playing device, such as the on-board entertainment system in a car, usually including a radio receiver as well as the capability to play audio from recorded media; see also car radio.
  4. 4
    A device that can transmit radio signals.
  5. 5
    The continuous broadcasting of sound via the Internet in the style of traditional radio.

Etymology

Short for radiotelegraphy.

Synonyms

tunerwirelessreceiver

This word in other languages

radio(Español)radio(Français)Radio(Deutsch)rádio(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: ardio,raddio,radoi,raido,rdaio,rradio

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

ardio2raddio1radoi2raido2rdaio2rradio1
Edit distance from "radio"

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 "radio"?
"radio" is spelled R-A-D-I-O. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈɹeɪdiˌəʊ/.
What does "radio" mean?
As a noun, "radio" means: The technology that allows for the transmission of sound or other signals by modulation of electromagnetic waves.
What words are commonly confused with "radio"?
"radio" is commonly confused with "Rio", "Rao", "rain". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "radio"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "radio" is /ˈɹeɪdiˌəʊ/. 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 "radio"?
Short for radiotelegraphy. 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 “radio”

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

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