register

/ˈɹɛd͡ʒ.ɪ.stə/

//ˈɹɛd͡ʒ.ɪ.stə// noun

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

"register" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“register” has 12 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #2,553. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#2,553
frequency rank, English
3,094
“R” headwords
12
tracked misspellings
6
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - A formal recording of names, events, transactions, etc.

Corpus desk

Index EN-register · register · English

register · rank #2,553 · 12 variants · 6 confusables

  • FREQ-COMMON #2,553
  • LEN-LONG 8 letters
  • VOW-3 3 vowels
  • CONFUS-MID 6 pairs
  • VAR-MID 12 variants
  • BOOK-MID 3,094
  • PHOTO-FINISH receiving

Nearest frequency peer: receiving (-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.

Frequency neighbourhood for “register”

Lower corpus rank = more everyday usage (inverted bar length for readability)

corpus weight

What this shows Bars show where “register” sits against the nearest ranked English headwords in the FrequencyWords band, not a reprint of letter-browse containment.

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).

register vs registry
75% similar
register vs resisted
75% similar
register vs resistor
75% similar

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

Key facts for register
PropertyValue
Headwordregister
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈɹɛd͡ʒ.ɪ.stə/
Letters8
Frequency rank#2,553
Misspellings tracked12
Confusable pairs6
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “register” sits in English frequency

Word frequency stretches from the small set of words we reach for constantly (left) out to the long tail barely used once in a while (right).registerlands 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 “receiving” (#2,552), “resolution” (#2,554), “reasonable” (#2,551). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 12 spelling variants around register (IPA /ˈɹɛd͡ʒ.ɪ.stə/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #2,553 among 3,094 “R” headwords. Wiktionary lists 18 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 12 likely wrong-spelling variants for register, with forms such as "ergister", "reggister", and "regisetr". 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 6 confusable-pair relationships, "registry", "resisted", "resistor", and more, since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Medieval Latin registrum, from Late Latin regesta (“list, items recorded”), from Latin regerō (“to record, to carry back”), from re- + gerō (“to carry, bear”). Compare Latin registoria (“a treasurer”). Some senses influenced by association with unrelat… The correct English form is register, spelled R-E-G-I-S-T-E-R.

Definition

  1. 1
    A formal recording of names, events, transactions, etc.
  2. 2
    A book of such entries.
  3. 3
    An entry in such a book.
  4. 4
    The act of registering.
  5. 5
    A certificate issued by the collector of customs of a port or district to the owner of a vessel, containing the description of a vessel, its name, ownership, and other material facts. It is kept on board the vessel, to be used as evidence of nationality or as a muniment of title.
  6. 6
    One who registers or records; a registrar; especially, a public officer charged with the duty of recording certain transactions or events.
  7. 7
    A distinct horizontal (or, more rarely, vertical) section of a work of art or inscription that is divided into several such sections.
  8. 8
    A device that automatically records a quantity.
  9. 9
    The part of a telegraphic apparatus that automatically records the message received.
  10. 10
    A list of received calls in a phone set.
  11. 11
    A small unit of very fast memory that is directly accessible to the central processing unit, and is mostly used to store inputs, outputs, or intermediate results of computations.
  12. 12
    The exact alignment of lines, margins, and colors.
  13. 13
    The inner part of the mould in which types are cast.
  14. 14
    The range of a voice or instrument.
  15. 15
    An organ stop.
  16. 16
    A style of a language used in a particular context.
  17. 17
    A grille at the outflow of a ventilation duct, capable of being opened and closed to direct the air flow.
  18. 18
    Ellipsis of cash register.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. The teacher took the register by calling out each child's name.
  2. As you have one eye upon my follies, […] turn another into the register of your own.

Etymology

From Medieval Latin registrum, from Late Latin regesta (“list, items recorded”), from Latin regerō (“to record, to carry back”), from re- + gerō (“to carry, bear”). Compare Latin registoria (“a treasurer”). Some senses influenced by association with unrelated Latin regō (“to rule”).

This word in other languages

registro(Español)registre(Français)Register(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • ergister
  • reggister
  • regisetr
  • regisster
  • registerr
  • registre
  • registter
  • regitser
  • regsiter
  • reigster
  • rgeister
  • rregister

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

ergister2reggister1regisetr2regisster1registerr1registre2registter1regitser2
Edit distance from "register"

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 "register"?
"register" is spelled R-E-G-I-S-T-E-R. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈɹɛd͡ʒ.ɪ.stə/.
What does "register" mean?
As a noun, "register" means: A formal recording of names, events, transactions, etc.
What words are commonly confused with "register"?
"register" is commonly confused with "registry", "resisted", "resistor". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "register"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "register" is /ˈɹɛd͡ʒ.ɪ.stə/. 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 "register"?
From Medieval Latin registrum, from Late Latin regesta (“list, items recorded”), from Latin regerō (“to record, to carry back”), from re- + gerō (“to carry, bear”). Compare Latin registoria (“a treasurer”). Some senses influenced by association wi... 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 "register", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 8 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

realized#2,550universe#2,563instance#2,540attitude#2,568

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (12 here; floor ≥5).

delivery12 variantsrecovery12 variantsterritory12 variantsrepublic12 variants

What to do next

You've looked up "register". Here's where to go from here.

  • "register" maps to 6 confusable pairs in this vintage; the highest-scored is "registry". View pair
  • 12 edit-distance misspelling variants are generated for spell-check research on this headword. See variants
  • Usage frequency rank #2,553 among English headwords in this corpus. Corpus statistics
  • Browse more English words in the "R" letter cohort. R–Z browse
  • PlainSpell rotates a curated Word of the Day from the English corpus, a passive way to discover vocabulary. Word of the Day

PlainSpell is a reference corpus, not spelling advice. Verify unusual forms in context.

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