rectangle

/ˈrɛktæŋɡl̩/

//ˈrɛktæŋɡl̩// noun

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

"rectangle" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“rectangle” has 14 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #21,329. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#21,329
frequency rank, English
21,470
“R” headwords
14
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Any quadrilateral having opposing sides parallel and four right angles.

Key facts for rectangle
PropertyValue
Headwordrectangle
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈrɛktæŋɡl̩/
Letters9
Frequency rank#21,329
Misspellings tracked14
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “rectangle” 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). rectangle lands here:

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

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 14 spelling variants around rectangle (IPA /ˈrɛktæŋɡl̩/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #21,329 among 21,470 “R” headwords. Wiktionary lists 4 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 14 likely wrong-spelling variants for rectangle, with forms such as "erctangle", "rcetangle", and "recatngle". 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. Our confusable-pair dataset has no match for it, since nothing in our dataset looks or sounds close enough to cause mix-ups.

Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowed from Middle French, from Old French, from Medieval Latin or Late Latin rectangulum (“right angle”), from Latin rectus (“right”) + angulus (“an angle”). The correct English form is rectangle, spelled R-E-C-T-A-N-G-L-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    Any quadrilateral having opposing sides parallel and four right angles.
  2. 2
    Such a quadrilateral that is oblong (longer than it is wide): one that is not regular (equilateral), that is, any except a square.
  3. 3
    A right angle.
  4. 4
    The product of two quantities.

Etymology

Borrowed from Middle French, from Old French, from Medieval Latin or Late Latin rectangulum (“right angle”), from Latin rectus (“right”) + angulus (“an angle”).

This word in other languages

rectángulo(Español)rectangle(Français)Rechteck(Deutsch)retângulo(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • erctangle
  • rcetangle
  • recatngle
  • recctangle
  • rectagnle
  • rectangel
  • rectanggle
  • rectanglle
  • rectanlge
  • rectanngle
  • rectnagle
  • recttangle
  • retcangle
  • rrectangle

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

erctangle2rcetangle2recatngle2recctangle1rectagnle2rectangel2rectanggle1rectanglle1
Edit distance from "rectangle"

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 "rectangle"?
"rectangle" is spelled R-E-C-T-A-N-G-L-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈrɛktæŋɡl̩/.
What does "rectangle" mean?
As a noun, "rectangle" means: Any quadrilateral having opposing sides parallel and four right angles.
What are common misspellings of "rectangle"?
Common misspellings include "erctangle", "rcetangle", "recatngle", "recctangle", "rectagnle". The correct spelling is "rectangle".
How do you pronounce "rectangle"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "rectangle" is /ˈrɛktæŋɡl̩/. 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 "rectangle"?
Borrowed from Middle French, from Old French, from Medieval Latin or Late Latin rectangulum (“right angle”), from Latin rectus (“right”) + angulus (“an angle”). 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 “rectangle”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is R-E-C-T-A-N-G-L-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈrɛktæŋɡl̩/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words

Same frequency band

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