range

/ɹeɪnd͡ʒ/

//ɹeɪnd͡ʒ// noun

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

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

The verdict

“range” is in the everyday core of English, ranked #793 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#793
frequency rank, English
5
letters
7
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A line or series of mountains, buildings, etc.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

range vs rate
60% similar
range vs ring
60% similar
range vs rare
60% similar

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

Key facts for range
PropertyValue
Headwordrange
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ɹeɪnd͡ʒ/
Letters5
Frequency rank#793
Misspellings tracked7
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “range” 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). range 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 range is 5 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ɹeɪnd͡ʒ/. Corpus data places it at rank #793 in overall English word frequency, putting it firmly in the everyday core of the language. Wiktionary records 22 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 7 likely wrong-spelling variants for range, with forms such as "arnge", "ragne", and "raneg". 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, "rate", "ring", "rare", and more, since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English rengen, from Old French rengier (“to range, to rank, to order,”), from the noun renc, reng, ranc, rang (“a rank, row”), from Frankish *hring, from Proto-Germanic *hringaz (“ring, circle, curve”). Doublet of ring. The correct English form is range, spelled R-A-N-G-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    A line or series of mountains, buildings, etc.
  2. 2
    A fireplace; a fire or other cooking apparatus; now specifically, a large cooking stove with many burners (hotplates).
  3. 3
    Selection, array.
  4. 4
    An area for practicing shooting at targets.
  5. 5
    An area for military training or equipment testing.
  6. 6
    The distance from a person or sensor to an object, target, emanation, or event.
  7. 7
    The maximum distance or reach of capability (of a weapon, radio, detector, etc.).
  8. 8
    The distance a vehicle (e.g., a car, bicycle, lorry, or aircraft) can travel without refueling.
  9. 9
    An area of open, often unfenced, grazing land.
  10. 10
    The extent or space taken in by anything excursive; compass or extent of excursion; reach; scope.
  11. 11
    The set of values (points) which a function can obtain.
  12. 12
    The length of the smallest interval which contains all the data in a sample; the difference between the largest and smallest observations in the sample.
  13. 13
    The defensive area that a player can cover.
  14. 14
    The scale of all the tones a voice or an instrument can produce.
  15. 15
    The geographical area or zone where a species is normally naturally found.
  16. 16
    A sequential list of values specified by an iterator.
  17. 17
    An aggregate of individuals in one rank or degree; an order; a class.
  18. 18
    The step of a ladder; a rung.
  19. 19
    A bolting sieve to sift meal.
  20. 20
    A wandering or roving; a going to and fro; an excursion; a ramble; an expedition.
  21. 21
    In the public land system, a row or line of townships lying between two succession meridian lines six miles apart.
  22. 22
    The variety of roles that an actor can play in a satisfactory way.

Etymology

From Middle English rengen, from Old French rengier (“to range, to rank, to order,”), from the noun renc, reng, ranc, rang (“a rank, row”), from Frankish *hring, from Proto-Germanic *hringaz (“ring, circle, curve”). Doublet of ring.

This word in other languages

sierra(Español)chaîne (de montagnes)(Français)Gebirgskette(Deutsch)cordilheira(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: arnge,ragne,raneg,rangge,rannge,rnage,rrange

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

arnge2ragne2raneg2rangge1rannge1rnage2rrange1
Edit distance from "range"

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 "range"?
"range" is spelled R-A-N-G-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ɹeɪnd͡ʒ/.
What does "range" mean?
As a noun, "range" means: A line or series of mountains, buildings, etc.
What words are commonly confused with "range"?
"range" is commonly confused with "rate", "ring", "rare". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "range"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "range" is /ɹeɪnd͡ʒ/. 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 "range"?
From Middle English rengen, from Old French rengier (“to range, to rank, to order,”), from the noun renc, reng, ranc, rang (“a rank, row”), from Frankish *hring, from Proto-Germanic *hringaz (“ring, circle, curve”). Doublet of ring. 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 “range”

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

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