recollection

/ɹɛkəˈlɛkʃən/

//ɹɛkəˈlɛkʃən// noun

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

"recollection" is a 12-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“recollection” has 17 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #20,202. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#20,202
frequency rank, English
3,094
“R” headwords
17
tracked misspellings
1
confusable pair

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - The act of recollecting, or recalling to the memory; the act of recalling to memory.

Corpus desk

Index EN-recollection · recollection · English

recollection · rank #20,202 · 17 variants · 1 confusable

  • FREQ-MID #20,202
  • LEN-MEGA 12 letters
  • VOW-5 5 vowels
  • CONFUS-LOW 1 pairs
  • VAR-HIGH 17 variants
  • BOOK-MID 3,094
  • PHOTO-FINISH reckoning

Nearest frequency peer: reckoning (-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 “recollection”

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

corpus weight

What this shows “recollection” 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).

recollection vs recollections
92% similar

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

Key facts for recollection
PropertyValue
Headwordrecollection
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ɹɛkəˈlɛkʃən/
Letters12
Frequency rank#20,202
Misspellings tracked17
Confusable pairs1
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “recollection”

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right).recollectionlands 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 “reckoning” (#20,201), “reconstructed” (#20,203), “recite” (#20,200). Among 3,094 “R” headwords, “recollection” is #20,202. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 17 spelling variants around recollection (IPA /ɹɛkəˈlɛkʃən/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #20,202 among 3,094 “R” headwords. Wiktionary lists 5 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 17 likely wrong-spelling variants for recollection, with forms such as "ercollection", "rceollection", and "reccollection". 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 1 confusable-pair relationship, "recollections", since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: Via French récollection or the verb recollect, both from Latin recollectus, the past participle of recolligere (“to collect again”), itself from re- + colligere (“to gather”). The correct English form is recollection, spelled R-E-C-O-L-L-E-C-T-I-O-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    The act of recollecting, or recalling to the memory; the act of recalling to memory.
  2. 2
    The power of recalling ideas to the mind, or the period within which things can be recollected; remembrance.
  3. 3
    That which is recollected; something called to mind; a reminiscence.
  4. 4
    The act or practice of collecting or concentrating the mind; concentration; self-control.
  5. 5
    A spiritual retreat, especially one that is short.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. Alas that distant event isn't within my recollection anymore.
  2. One of his earliest recollections.

Etymology

Via French récollection or the verb recollect, both from Latin recollectus, the past participle of recolligere (“to collect again”), itself from re- + colligere (“to gather”).

Synonyms

reminiscenceremembrancememorymindrecallrecollection

Antonyms

lethemisrecollectionforgetfulnessforgetnessoblivionobliviousness

This word in other languages

recordación(Español)souvenir(Français)Erinnerung(Deutsch)recordação(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • ercollection
  • rceollection
  • reccollection
  • reclolection
  • recolection
  • recolelction
  • recollcetion
  • recollecction
  • recolleciton
  • recollecsion
  • recollectino
  • recollectionn
  • recollectoin
  • recollecttion
  • recolletcion
  • reocllection
  • rrecollection

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of recollection - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

ercollection2rceollection2reccollection1reclolection2recolection1recolelction2recollcetion2recollecction1
Edit distance from "recollection"

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 "recollection"?
"recollection" is spelled R-E-C-O-L-L-E-C-T-I-O-N. The IPA pronunciation is /ɹɛkəˈlɛkʃən/.
What does "recollection" mean?
As a noun, "recollection" means: The act of recollecting, or recalling to the memory; the act of recalling to memory.
What words are commonly confused with "recollection"?
"recollection" is commonly confused with "recollections". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "recollection"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "recollection" is /ɹɛkəˈlɛkʃən/. 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 "recollection"?
Via French récollection or the verb recollect, both from Latin recollectus, the past participle of recolligere (“to collect again”), itself from re- + colligere (“to gather”). 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 "recollection", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 12 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

postgraduate#20,188irreversible#20,144interrupting#20,143generational#20,123

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (17 here; floor ≥5).

predominant17 variantspredicament17 variantsobjectively17 variantsunsuccessfully17 variants

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list