relationship

/ɹɪˈleɪʃ(ə)nˌʃɪp/

//ɹɪˈleɪʃ(ə)nˌʃɪp// noun

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

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

The verdict

“relationship” is in the everyday core of English, ranked #740 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#740
frequency rank, English
12
letters
18
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Connection or association; the condition of being related.

Key facts for relationship
PropertyValue
Headwordrelationship
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ɹɪˈleɪʃ(ə)nˌʃɪp/
Letters12
Frequency rank#740
Misspellings tracked18
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “relationship” 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). relationship 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 relationship is 12 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ɹɪˈleɪʃ(ə)nˌʃɪp/. Corpus data places it at rank #740 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 18 likely wrong-spelling variants for relationship, with forms such as "erlationship", "realtionship", and "relaitonship". 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 is not paired with a close-neighbour confusable in our dataset, since no other headword is close enough in sound or shape to pair with it.

Etymologically, the entry records: From relation + -ship. The correct English form is relationship, spelled R-E-L-A-T-I-O-N-S-H-I-P.

Definition

  1. 1
    Connection or association; the condition of being related.
  2. 2
    The links between the x-values and y-values of ordered pairs of numbers especially coordinates.
  3. 3
    Kinship; being related by blood or marriage.
  4. 4
    A romantic or sexual involvement.
  5. 5
    A way in which two or more people behave and are involved with each other
  6. 6
    The level or degree of affinity between keys, chords and tones.

Etymology

From relation + -ship.

This word in other languages

relación(Español)rapport(Français)Beziehung(Deutsch)relacionamento(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: erlationship,realtionship,relaitonship,relatinoship,relationhsip,relationnship,relationshhip,relationshipp,relationshpi,relationsihp,relationsship,relatiosnhip,relatoinship,relattionship,rellationship,reltaionship,rleationship,rrelationship

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

erlationship2realtionship2relaitonship2relatinoship2relationhsip2relationnship1relationshhip1relationshipp1
Edit distance from "relationship"

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 "relationship"?
"relationship" is spelled R-E-L-A-T-I-O-N-S-H-I-P. The IPA pronunciation is /ɹɪˈleɪʃ(ə)nˌʃɪp/.
What does "relationship" mean?
As a noun, "relationship" means: Connection or association; the condition of being related.
What are common misspellings of "relationship"?
Common misspellings include "erlationship", "realtionship", "relaitonship", "relatinoship", "relationhsip". The correct spelling is "relationship".
How do you pronounce "relationship"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "relationship" is /ɹɪˈleɪʃ(ə)nˌʃɪp/. 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 "relationship"?
From relation + -ship. 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 “relationship”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is R-E-L-A-T-I-O-N-S-H-I-P - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ɹɪˈleɪʃ(ə)nˌʃɪp/ (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
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