representation
/ˌɹɛp.ɹə.zɛnˈteɪ.ʃən/
"representation" is a 14-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“representation” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #4,044 in English word frequency and used as a noun.
- #4,044
- frequency rank, English
- 14
- letters
- 22
- tracked misspellings
- 3
- confusable pairs
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - That which represents something else.
Visual similarity to commonly confused words
How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).
Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | representation |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Noun |
| IPA | /ˌɹɛp.ɹə.zɛnˈteɪ.ʃən/ |
| Letters | 14 |
| Frequency rank | #4,044 |
| Misspellings tracked | 22 |
| Confusable pairs | 3 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Where “representation” sits in English frequency
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
The English entry for representation is 14 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˌɹɛp.ɹə.zɛnˈteɪ.ʃən/. Corpus data places it at rank #4,044 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 9 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.
Our generated misspelling index lists 22 likely wrong-spelling variants for representation, with forms such as "erpresentation", "repersentation", and "reppresentation". 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 3 confusable-pair relationships, "representative", "representations", "representational", where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.
Etymologically, the entry records: From Late Middle English representacioun, from Old French representacion, from Latin repraesentātiō. By surface analysis, represent + -ation. The correct English form is representation, spelled R-E-P-R-E-S-E-N-T-A-T-I-O-N.
Definition
- 1That which represents something else.
- 2The act of representing.
- 3The appearance(s) of a particular demographic group in a piece of media, particularly in regards to how such appearances are treated.
- 4The lawyers and staff who argue on behalf of another in court.
- 5The ability to elect a representative to speak on one's behalf in government; the role of this representative in government.
- 6An action of some algebraic structure (typically a group or algebra, particularly a Lie algebra) on a vector space, such that each element acts by a linear endomorphism.
- 7A figure, image or idea that substitutes reality.
- 8A theatrical performance.
- 9A statement; a presentation of opinion or position, or an utterance made to influence the opinions or actions of others
Etymology
From Late Middle English representacioun, from Old French representacion, from Latin repraesentātiō. By surface analysis, represent + -ation.
Synonyms
This word in other languages
Common misspellings
Also misspelled as: erpresentation,repersentation,reppresentation,repreesntation,represenattion,represenntation,representaiton,representasion,representatino,representationn,representatoin,representattion,representtaion,representtation,represetnation,represnetation,repressentation,reprresentation,reprseentation,rerpesentation,rperesentation,rrepresentation
Misspelling Pattern Breakdown
How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of representation - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.
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
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Using “representation”
The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.
- The one correct English spelling is R-E-P-R-E-S-E-N-T-A-T-I-O-N - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
- Say it as /ˌɹɛp.ɹə.zɛnˈteɪ.ʃən/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
- Don't mix it up with “representative” - see the side-by-side comparison. representation vs representative
- 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.