radix

/ˈɹeɪ.dɪks/

//ˈɹeɪ.dɪks// noun

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

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

The verdict

“radix” is uncommon English (frequency #71,036 among 21,470 “R” headwords), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#71,036
frequency rank, English
21,470
“R” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A root.

Key facts for radix
PropertyValue
Headwordradix
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈɹeɪ.dɪks/
Letters5
Frequency rank#71,036
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “radix” 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). radix lands here:

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

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

radix is uncommon English at frequency #71,036 among 21,470 “R” headwords, classed as anoun, transcribed /ˈɹeɪ.dɪks/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 3 senses are on record.

No generated misspelling entries exist for radix in our index, typically a sign the spelling maps closely to how the word sounds. No close-neighbour confusable shows up for this headword in our dataset, since no other headword is close enough in sound or shape to pair with it.

Etymologically, the entry records: PIE word *wréh₂ds Learned borrowing from Latin rādīx (“a root”). Doublet of radish. The correct English form is radix, spelled R-A-D-I-X.

Definition

  1. 1
    A root.
  2. 2
    The primitive root word or morpheme from which later versions derive; the etymon
  3. 3
    The number of distinct symbols used to represent numbers in a particular base, as ten for decimal.

Etymology

PIE word *wréh₂ds Learned borrowing from Latin rādīx (“a root”). Doublet of radish.

Synonyms

primitiveradical word

This word in other languages

base(Español)racine(Français)Stammwort(Deutsch)raiz(Português)

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 "radix"?
"radix" is spelled R-A-D-I-X. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈɹeɪ.dɪks/.
What does "radix" mean?
As a noun, "radix" means: A root.
How do you pronounce "radix"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "radix" is /ˈɹeɪ.dɪks/. 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 "radix"?
PIE word *wréh₂ds Learned borrowing from Latin rādīx (“a root”). Doublet of radish. 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 “radix”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is R-A-D-I-X - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈɹeɪ.dɪks/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words

Other uncommon English words near this rank

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