respectively

/ɹɪˈspɛktɪvli/

//ɹɪˈspɛktɪvli// adv

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

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

The verdict

“respectively” has 19 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #3,331. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#3,331
frequency rank, English
3,094
“R” headwords
19
tracked misspellings
1
confusable pair

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - In a relative manner; often used when comparing array lists, where the term denotes that the items in the lists correspond to each other in the order they are given.

Corpus desk

Index EN-respectively · respectively · English

respectively · rank #3,331 · 19 variants · 1 confusable

  • FREQ-COMMON #3,331
  • LEN-MEGA 12 letters
  • VOW-5 5 vowels
  • CONFUS-LOW 1 pairs
  • VAR-HIGH 19 variants
  • BOOK-MID 3,094
  • PHOTO-FINISH refer

Nearest frequency peer: refer (-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 “respectively”

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

corpus weight

What this shows “respectively” 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).

respectively vs respective
83% similar

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

Key facts for respectively
PropertyValue
Headwordrespectively
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdverb
IPA/ɹɪˈspɛktɪvli/
Letters12
Frequency rank#3,331
Misspellings tracked19
Confusable pairs1
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “respectively”

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).respectivelylands 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 “refer” (#3,330), “Rome” (#3,332), “rating” (#3,329). Among 3,094 “R” headwords, “respectively” is #3,331. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 19 spelling variants around respectively (IPA /ɹɪˈspɛktɪvli/), anadverb. Corpus frequency is #3,331 among 3,094 “R” headwords. Dominant gloss: "In a relative manner; often used when comparing array lists, where the term denotes that the items in the lists correspond to each other in the order they are given.".

Our generated misspelling index lists 19 likely wrong-spelling variants for respectively, with forms such as "erspectively", "repsectively", and "resepctively". 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 also participates in 1 confusable-pair relationship, "respective", where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: From respective + -ly. The correct English form is respectively, spelled R-E-S-P-E-C-T-I-V-E-L-Y.

Definition

  1. 1
    In a relative manner; often used when comparing array lists, where the term denotes that the items in the lists correspond to each other in the order they are given.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. Serena Williams and Roger Federer won the women's and men's singles titles, respectively, at the 2010 Australian Open.
  2. The 49th and 50th states of the United States of America are Alaska and Hawaii, respectively.

Etymology

From respective + -ly.

This word in other languages

respectivamente(Español)respectivement(Français)beziehungsweise(Deutsch)respetivamente(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • erspectively
  • repsectively
  • resepctively
  • respcetively
  • respecctively
  • respecitvely
  • respectievly
  • respectivelly
  • respectivelyy
  • respectiveyl
  • respectivley
  • respectivvely
  • respecttively
  • respectviely
  • respetcively
  • resppectively
  • resspectively
  • rrespectively
  • rsepectively

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

erspectively2repsectively2resepctively2respcetively2respecctively1respecitvely2respectievly2respectivelly1
Edit distance from "respectively"

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 "respectively"?
"respectively" is spelled R-E-S-P-E-C-T-I-V-E-L-Y. The IPA pronunciation is /ɹɪˈspɛktɪvli/.
What does "respectively" mean?
As an adverb, "respectively" means: In a relative manner; often used when comparing array lists, where the term denotes that the items in the lists correspond to each other in the order they are given.
What words are commonly confused with "respectively"?
"respectively" is commonly confused with "respective". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "respectively"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "respectively" is /ɹɪˈspɛktɪvli/. 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 "respectively"?
From respective + -ly. 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 "respectively", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 12 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

successfully#3,337expectations#3,359commissioner#3,415architecture#3,467

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (19 here; floor ≥5).

contemporary19 variantsincreasingly19 variantsintroduction19 variantsinstructions19 variants

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list