remiss

/ɹəˈmɪs/

//ɹəˈmɪs// adj

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

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

The verdict

“remiss” has 7 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #46,142. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#46,142
frequency rank, English
3,094
“R” headwords
7
tracked misspellings
15
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - At fault; failing to fulfill responsibility, duty, or obligations.

Corpus desk

Index EN-remiss · remiss · English

remiss · rank #46,142 · 7 variants · 15 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #46,142
  • LEN-LONG 6 letters
  • VOW-2 2 vowels
  • CONFUS-MID 15 pairs
  • VAR-MID 7 variants
  • BOOK-MID 3,094
  • PHOTO-FINISH refutation

Nearest frequency peer: refutation (-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.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “remiss”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “remiss” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

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).

remiss vs remix
67% similar
remiss vs remit
67% similar
remiss vs Remus
50% similar

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

Key facts for remiss
PropertyValue
Headwordremiss
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ɹəˈmɪs/
Letters6
Frequency rank#46,142
Misspellings tracked7
Confusable pairs15
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “remiss”

This scale runs from the tiny cluster of words that carry ordinary speech (left) to the long tail of words almost nobody reaches for (right).remisslands here:

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

Ticks step logarithmically, so each one marks a roughly tenfold drop in how often the word turns up. Same rarity band neighbours include “refutation” (#46,141), “remittance” (#46,143), “redrawn” (#46,140). Among 3,094 “R” headwords, “remiss” is #46,142. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 7 spelling variants around remiss (IPA /ɹəˈmɪs/), anadjective. Corpus frequency is #46,142 among 3,094 “R” headwords. Wiktionary lists 2 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 7 likely wrong-spelling variants for remiss, with forms such as "ermiss", "reimss", and "remis". 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 15 confusable-pair relationships, "remix", "remit", "Remus", and more, since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English remisse, remysse, from Latin remissus (“languid, negligent”), perfect passive participle of remittō (“remit”). The correct English form is remiss, spelled R-E-M-I-S-S.

Definition

  1. 1
    At fault; failing to fulfill responsibility, duty, or obligations.
  2. 2
    Not energetic or exact in duty or business; careless; tardy; slack; hence, lacking earnestness or activity; languid; slow.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. It would be remiss of me, in my duties, if I did not give credit where credit was due.
  2. Thou never waſt remiſs, I bear thee witneſs:

Etymology

From Middle English remisse, remysse, from Latin remissus (“languid, negligent”), perfect passive participle of remittō (“remit”).

This word in other languages

remiso(Español)verantwortungslos(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • ermiss
  • reimss
  • remis
  • remmiss
  • remsis
  • rmeiss
  • rremiss

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of remiss - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

ermiss2reimss2remis1remmiss1remsis2rmeiss2rremiss1
Edit distance from "remiss"

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 "remiss"?
"remiss" is spelled R-E-M-I-S-S. The IPA pronunciation is /ɹəˈmɪs/.
What does "remiss" mean?
As an adjective, "remiss" means: At fault; failing to fulfill responsibility, duty, or obligations.
What words are commonly confused with "remiss"?
"remiss" is commonly confused with "remix", "remit", "Remus". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "remiss"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "remiss" is /ɹəˈmɪs/. 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 "remiss"?
From Middle English remisse, remysse, from Latin remissus (“languid, negligent”), perfect passive participle of remittō (“remit”). 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 "remiss", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 6 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

redraw#46,139roused#46,154Radley#46,129quiche#46,126

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (7 here; floor ≥5).

puller7 variantsSeong7 variantsPatil7 variantsoomph7 variants

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list