retirement

/ɹəˈtaɪə(ɹ).mənt/

//ɹəˈtaɪə(ɹ).mənt// noun

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

"retirement" is a 10-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“retirement” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #2,858 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#2,858
frequency rank, English
10
letters
15
tracked misspellings
2
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - An act of retiring; withdrawal.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

retirement vs refinement
80% similar
retirement vs requirement
82% similar

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

Key facts for retirement
PropertyValue
Headwordretirement
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ɹəˈtaɪə(ɹ).mənt/
Letters10
Frequency rank#2,858
Misspellings tracked15
Confusable pairs2
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “retirement” 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). retirement 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 retirement is 10 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ɹəˈtaɪə(ɹ).mənt/. Corpus data places it at rank #2,858 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 5 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 15 likely wrong-spelling variants for retirement, with forms such as "ertirement", "reitrement", and "retierment". 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 2 confusable-pair relationships, "refinement", "requirement", since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: From French retirement, from retirer (“withdraw, retire”); corresponding to retire + -ment. The correct English form is retirement, spelled R-E-T-I-R-E-M-E-N-T.

Definition

  1. 1
    An act of retiring; withdrawal.
  2. 2
    The state of being retired; seclusion.
  3. 3
    A place of seclusion or privacy; a retreat.
  4. 4
    The state of having permanently left one's employment, now especially at reaching pensionable age; the portion of one's life after retiring from one's career.
  5. 5
    The act of leaving one's career or employment permanently.

Etymology

From French retirement, from retirer (“withdraw, retire”); corresponding to retire + -ment.

This word in other languages

jubilación(Español)retraite(Français)Rente(Deutsch)reforma(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: ertirement,reitrement,retierment,retireemnt,retiremennt,retirementt,retiremetn,retiremment,retiremnet,retirmeent,retirrement,retriement,rettirement,rretirement,rteirement

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

ertirement2reitrement2retierment2retireemnt2retiremennt1retirementt1retiremetn2retiremment1
Edit distance from "retirement"

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 "retirement"?
"retirement" is spelled R-E-T-I-R-E-M-E-N-T. The IPA pronunciation is /ɹəˈtaɪə(ɹ).mənt/.
What does "retirement" mean?
As a noun, "retirement" means: An act of retiring; withdrawal.
What words are commonly confused with "retirement"?
"retirement" is commonly confused with "refinement", "requirement". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "retirement"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "retirement" is /ɹəˈtaɪə(ɹ).mənt/. 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 "retirement"?
From French retirement, from retirer (“withdraw, retire”); corresponding to retire + -ment. 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 “retirement”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is R-E-T-I-R-E-M-E-N-T - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ɹəˈtaɪə(ɹ).mənt/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “refinement” - see the side-by-side comparison. retirement vs refinement
  • 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