redundant

/ɹɪˈdʌn.dənt/

//ɹɪˈdʌn.dənt// adj

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

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

The verdict

“redundant” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #13,224 in English word frequency and used as an adjective.

#13,224
frequency rank, English
9
letters
14
tracked misspellings
1
confusable pair

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Superfluous; exceeding what is necessary, no longer needed.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

redundant vs redundancy
80% similar

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

Key facts for redundant
PropertyValue
Headwordredundant
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ɹɪˈdʌn.dənt/
Letters9
Frequency rank#13,224
Misspellings tracked14
Confusable pairs1
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “redundant” 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). redundant 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 redundant is 9 letters long, classified as an adjective, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ɹɪˈdʌn.dənt/. Corpus data places it at rank #13,224 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 5 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 14 likely wrong-spelling variants for redundant, with forms such as "erdundant", "rdeundant", and "reddundant". 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 1 confusable-pair relationship, "redundancy", since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Latin redundāns, present participle of redundō (“to overflow, redound”), from red- (“again, back”) + undō (“to surge, flood”), from unda (“a wave”). The correct English form is redundant, spelled R-E-D-U-N-D-A-N-T.

Definition

  1. 1
    Superfluous; exceeding what is necessary, no longer needed.
  2. 2
    Repetitive or needlessly wordy.
  3. 3
    Dismissed from employment because no longer needed.
  4. 4
    Duplicating or able to duplicate the function of another component of a system, providing backup in the event the other component fails.
  5. 5
    Containing duplicate pathways to send a message.

Etymology

From Latin redundāns, present participle of redundō (“to overflow, redound”), from red- (“again, back”) + undō (“to surge, flood”), from unda (“a wave”).

Synonyms

acervatimadscititiousdropsicalduplicateexcessiveexorbitantexpletiveextraextraneousextravagantgorgedinessentialinordinatelavishneedlessnonessentialoverflowingovermuchoverweeningplethoricprodigalprofuserepetitiverepletesparesuperabundantsupererogatorysuperfluoussupernumerarysupersaturatedsupervacaneoussurplussurplusagetoo manytoo muchunnecessaryverbose

Antonyms

non-redundantinadequatelackingneeded

This word in other languages

superfluo(Español)redondant(Français)überflüssig(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: erdundant,rdeundant,reddundant,rednudant,redudnant,redunadnt,redundannt,redundantt,redundatn,redunddant,redundnat,redunndant,reudndant,rredundant

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

erdundant2rdeundant2reddundant1rednudant2redudnant2redunadnt2redundannt1redundantt1
Edit distance from "redundant"

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 "redundant"?
"redundant" is spelled R-E-D-U-N-D-A-N-T. The IPA pronunciation is /ɹɪˈdʌn.dənt/.
What does "redundant" mean?
As an adjective, "redundant" means: Superfluous; exceeding what is necessary, no longer needed.
What words are commonly confused with "redundant"?
"redundant" is commonly confused with "redundancy". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "redundant"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "redundant" is /ɹɪˈdʌn.dənt/. 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 "redundant"?
From Latin redundāns, present participle of redundō (“to overflow, redound”), from red- (“again, back”) + undō (“to surge, flood”), from unda (“a wave”). 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 “redundant”

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

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