reservation

/ˌɹɛz.ɚˈveɪ.ʃən/

//ˌɹɛz.ɚˈveɪ.ʃən// noun

"reservation" is a 11-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“reservation” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #7,733 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#7,733
frequency rank, English
11
letters
17
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - The act of reserving, withholding or keeping back.

Key facts for reservation
PropertyValue
Headwordreservation
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˌɹɛz.ɚˈveɪ.ʃən/
Letters11
Frequency rank#7,733
Misspellings tracked17
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “reservation” 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). reservation 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 reservation is 11 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˌɹɛz.ɚˈveɪ.ʃən/. Corpus data places it at rank #7,733 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 10 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 17 likely wrong-spelling variants for reservation, with forms such as "erservation", "reesrvation", and "reseravtion". 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. We don't track a confusable pairing for this entry, since no other headword is close enough in sound or shape to pair with it.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle French reservation, equivalent to reserve + -ation. The correct English form is reservation, spelled R-E-S-E-R-V-A-T-I-O-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    The act of reserving, withholding or keeping back.
  2. 2
    The act of reserving, withholding or keeping back.
  3. 3
    The act of reserving, withholding or keeping back.
  4. 4
    Something that is withheld or kept back.
  5. 5
    A limiting qualification regarding certainty or risk; a doubt or concern.
  6. 6
    A tract of land set apart by the US government for the use of a Native American people, such as the Hopi Reservation or the Navajo Nation's territory.
  7. 7
    An arrangement by which accommodation or transport arrangements are secured in advance.
  8. 8
    The area which separates opposing lanes of traffic on a divided motorway or dual carriageway.
  9. 9
    The setting aside of a certain percentage of vacancies in government institutions for members of backward and underrepresented communities (defined primarily by caste and tribe).
  10. 10
    A power of an overseeing authority to suspend legislation in the jurisdiction being overseen pending the approval of a higher authority. Such as a provincial/state governor reserving a bill passed by the state/provincial legislature from assent, pending approval of the federal government; or a federal bill passed by federal parliament being reserved by the viceroy pending approval by the crown.

Etymology

From Middle French reservation, equivalent to reserve + -ation.

Synonyms

This word in other languages

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: erservation,reesrvation,reseravtion,reserrvation,reservaiton,reservasion,reservatino,reservationn,reservatoin,reservattion,reservtaion,reservvation,resevration,resrevation,resservation,rreservation,rseervation

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of reservation - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

erservation2reesrvation2reseravtion2reserrvation1reservaiton2reservasion1reservatino2reservationn1
Edit distance from "reservation"

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 "reservation"?
"reservation" is spelled R-E-S-E-R-V-A-T-I-O-N. The IPA pronunciation is /ˌɹɛz.ɚˈveɪ.ʃən/.
What does "reservation" mean?
As a noun, "reservation" means: The act of reserving, withholding or keeping back.
What are common misspellings of "reservation"?
Common misspellings include "erservation", "reesrvation", "reseravtion", "reserrvation", "reservaiton". The correct spelling is "reservation".
How do you pronounce "reservation"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "reservation" is /ˌɹɛz.ɚˈveɪ.ʃən/. 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 "reservation"?
From Middle French reservation, equivalent to reserve + -ation. 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 “reservation”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is R-E-S-E-R-V-A-T-I-O-N - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˌɹɛz.ɚˈveɪ.ʃən/ (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