rate

/ɹeɪt/

//ɹeɪt// noun

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

"rate" is a 4-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“rate” is in the everyday core of English, ranked #752 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#752
frequency rank, English
4
letters
5
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - The worth of something; value.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

rate vs re
50% similar
rate vs RT
0% similar
rate vs ray
50% similar

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

Key facts for rate
PropertyValue
Headwordrate
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ɹeɪt/
Letters4
Frequency rank#752
Misspellings tracked5
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “rate” 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). rate 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 rate is 4 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ɹeɪt/. Corpus data places it at rank #752 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 rate, with forms such as "arte", "raet", and "ratte". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "re", "RT", "ray", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English rate, from Old French rate, from Medieval Latin rata, from Latin prō ratā parte (“according to a fixed part”), from ratus (“fixed”), from rērī (“think, deem, judge, estimate", originally "reckon, calculate”). The correct English form is rate, spelled R-A-T-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    The worth of something; value.
  2. 2
    The proportional relationship between one amount, value etc. and another.
  3. 3
    Speed.
  4. 4
    The relative speed of change or progress.
  5. 5
    The price of (an individual) thing; cost.
  6. 6
    A set price or charge for all examples of a given case, commodity, service etc.
  7. 7
    A wage calculated in relation to a unit of time.
  8. 8
    Any of various taxes, especially those levied by a local authority.
  9. 9
    A class into which ships were assigned based on condition, size etc.; by extension, rank.
  10. 10
    Established portion or measure; fixed allowance; ration.
  11. 11
    Order; arrangement.
  12. 12
    Ratification; approval.
  13. 13
    The gain or loss of a timepiece in a unit of time.

Etymology

From Middle English rate, from Old French rate, from Medieval Latin rata, from Latin prō ratā parte (“according to a fixed part”), from ratus (“fixed”), from rērī (“think, deem, judge, estimate", originally "reckon, calculate”).

This word in other languages

tasa(Español)taux(Français)Rate(Deutsch)taxa(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: arte,raet,ratte,rrate,rtae

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

arte2raet2ratte1rrate1rtae2
Edit distance from "rate"

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 "rate"?
"rate" is spelled R-A-T-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ɹeɪt/.
What does "rate" mean?
As a noun, "rate" means: The worth of something; value.
What words are commonly confused with "rate"?
"rate" is commonly confused with "re", "RT", "ray". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "rate"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "rate" is /ɹeɪt/. 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 "rate"?
From Middle English rate, from Old French rate, from Medieval Latin rata, from Latin prō ratā parte (“according to a fixed part”), from ratus (“fixed”), from rērī (“think, deem, judge, estimate", originally "reckon, calculate”). 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 “rate”

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

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