recitation

/ˌɹɛsɪˈteɪʃən/

//ˌɹɛsɪˈteɪʃən// noun

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

"recitation" is a 10-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“recitation” has 15 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #32,994. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#32,994
frequency rank, English
3,094
“R” headwords
15
tracked misspellings
3
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - The act of publicly reciting something previously memorized.

Corpus desk

Index EN-recitation · recitation · English

recitation · rank #32,994 · 15 variants · 3 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #32,994
  • LEN-MEGA 10 letters
  • VOW-5 5 vowels
  • CONFUS-LOW 3 pairs
  • VAR-HIGH 15 variants
  • BOOK-MID 3,094
  • PHOTO-FINISH randomness

Nearest frequency peer: randomness (-1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “recitation”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “recitation” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

recitation vs reputation
80% similar
recitation vs recreation
80% similar
recitation vs refutation
80% similar

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

Key facts for recitation
PropertyValue
Headwordrecitation
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˌɹɛsɪˈteɪʃən/
Letters10
Frequency rank#32,994
Misspellings tracked15
Confusable pairs3
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “recitation”

This scale runs from the tiny cluster of words that carry ordinary speech (left) to the long tail of words almost nobody reaches for (right).recitationlands here:

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

The axis is logarithmic, with each marked tick roughly ten times rarer than the last. Same rarity band neighbours include “randomness” (#32,993), “rectal” (#32,996), “quarterfinal” (#32,991). Among 3,094 “R” headwords, “recitation” is #32,994. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 15 spelling variants around recitation (IPA /ˌɹɛsɪˈteɪʃən/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #32,994 among 3,094 “R” headwords. Wiktionary lists 5 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 15 likely wrong-spelling variants for recitation, with forms such as "ercitation", "rceitation", and "reccitation". 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 3 confusable-pair relationships, "reputation", "recreation", "refutation", since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowed from Middle French récitation, from Latin recitatio, equivalent to recite + -ation. The correct English form is recitation, spelled R-E-C-I-T-A-T-I-O-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    The act of publicly reciting something previously memorized.
  2. 2
    The material recited.
  3. 3
    A regularly scheduled class, in a school, in which discussion occurs of the material covered in a parallel lecture.
  4. 4
    A reiteration; a setting down, e.g. for ease of reference, of something previously established.
  5. 5
    A part of a song's lyrics that is spoken rather than sung.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how recitation appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. The recitation will air nationally and be featured at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida.
  2. I shall now endeavor to give some account of the College.... Some then go to a recitation of the lesson they have learnt the previous evening. Some return to their rooms till the breakfast-bell, about seven or after. At eight the sludy bell rings. All must then go in their rooms and continue there, even if they have no lessons to learn, unless they attend…

Etymology

Borrowed from Middle French récitation, from Latin recitatio, equivalent to recite + -ation.

This word in other languages

recitación(Español)récitation(Français)Rezitation(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • ercitation
  • rceitation
  • reccitation
  • reciattion
  • recitaiton
  • recitasion
  • recitatino
  • recitationn
  • recitatoin
  • recitattion
  • recittaion
  • recittation
  • rectiation
  • reictation
  • rrecitation

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

ercitation2rceitation2reccitation1reciattion2recitaiton2recitasion1recitatino2recitationn1
Edit distance from "recitation"

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 "recitation"?
"recitation" is spelled R-E-C-I-T-A-T-I-O-N. The IPA pronunciation is /ˌɹɛsɪˈteɪʃən/.
What does "recitation" mean?
As a noun, "recitation" means: The act of publicly reciting something previously memorized.
What words are commonly confused with "recitation"?
"recitation" is commonly confused with "reputation", "recreation", "refutation". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "recitation"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "recitation" is /ˌɹɛsɪˈteɪʃən/. 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 "recitation"?
Borrowed from Middle French récitation, from Latin recitatio, equivalent to recite + -ation. 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.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "recitation", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 10 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

randomness#32,993reevaluate#32,998ruthlessly#33,005sculptural#33,012

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (15 here; floor ≥5).

Polynesian15 variantsperpetuity15 variantsminimalism15 variantsmeandering15 variants

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list