record

/ˈɹɛk.ɔːd/

//ˈɹɛk.ɔːd// noun

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

"record" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“record” is in the everyday core of English, ranked #625 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#625
frequency rank, English
6
letters
9
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - An item of information put into a temporary or permanent physical medium.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

record vs recur
67% similar
record vs report
67% similar
record vs reform
67% similar

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

Key facts for record
PropertyValue
Headwordrecord
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈɹɛk.ɔːd/
Letters6
Frequency rank#625
Misspellings tracked9
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “record” 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). record 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 record is 6 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈɹɛk.ɔːd/. Corpus data places it at rank #625 in overall English word frequency, putting it firmly in the everyday core of the language. Wiktionary records 6 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 9 likely wrong-spelling variants for record, with forms such as "ercord", "rceord", and "reccord". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "recur", "report", "reform", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English recorde, borrowed from Old French record, from recorder. See record. The correct English form is record, spelled R-E-C-O-R-D.

Definition

  1. 1
    An item of information put into a temporary or permanent physical medium.
  2. 2
    Any instance of a physical medium on which information was put for the purpose of preserving it and making it available for future reference.
  3. 3
    Ellipsis of phonograph record (“a disc, usually made from vinyl, on which sound is recorded and may be replayed on a phonograph”).
  4. 4
    A set of data relating to a single individual or item.
  5. 5
    A data structure similar to a struct, in some programming languages such as C and Java based on classes and designed for storing immutable data.
  6. 6
    The most extreme known value of some variable, particularly that of an achievement in competitive events.

Etymology

From Middle English recorde, borrowed from Old French record, from recorder. See record.

This word in other languages

registro(Español)enregistrement(Français)Aufzeichnung(Deutsch)registo(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: ercord,rceord,reccord,recodr,recordd,recorrd,recrod,reocrd,rrecord

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

ercord2rceord2reccord1recodr2recordd1recorrd1recrod2reocrd2
Edit distance from "record"

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 "record"?
"record" is spelled R-E-C-O-R-D. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈɹɛk.ɔːd/.
What does "record" mean?
As a noun, "record" means: An item of information put into a temporary or permanent physical medium.
What words are commonly confused with "record"?
"record" is commonly confused with "recur", "report", "reform". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "record"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "record" is /ˈɹɛk.ɔːd/. 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 "record"?
From Middle English recorde, borrowed from Old French record, from recorder. See record. 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 “record”

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

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