sapphire

/ˈsæf.aɪ̯ə(ɹ)/

//ˈsæf.aɪ̯ə(ɹ)// noun

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

"sapphire" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“sapphire” has 10 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #16,340. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#16,340
frequency rank, English
6,566
“S” headwords
10
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - A clear deep blue variety of corundum, valued as a precious stone.

Corpus desk

Index EN-sapphire · sapphire · English

sapphire · rank #16,340 · 10 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #16,340
  • LEN-LONG 8 letters
  • VOW-3 3 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-MID 10 variants
  • BOOK-DENSE 6,566
  • PHOTO-FINISH Saddam

Nearest frequency peer: Saddam (-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 “sapphire”

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

corpus weight

What this shows “sapphire” 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
Key facts for sapphire
PropertyValue
Headwordsapphire
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈsæf.aɪ̯ə(ɹ)/
Letters8
Frequency rank#16,340
Misspellings tracked10
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “sapphire”

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right).sapphirelands 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 “Saddam” (#16,339), “screwing” (#16,341), “seam” (#16,342). Among 6,566 “S” headwords, “sapphire” is #16,340. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 10 spelling variants around sapphire (IPA /ˈsæf.aɪ̯ə(ɹ)/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #16,340 among 6,566 “S” headwords. Wiktionary lists 6 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 10 likely wrong-spelling variants for sapphire, with forms such as "aspphire", "saphire", and "saphpire". 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. No confusable counterpart is on file for this word, which typically means the spelling is too distinctive to be mistaken for another word.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English saphir, from Old French saphir, from Latin sapphir, sappir, sapphīrus, from Ancient Greek σάπφειρος (sáppheiros, “precious stone, gem”), from a Semitic language such as Hebrew סַפִּיר (sappī́r, “lapis lazuli”), originally from Assyrian A… The correct English form is sapphire, spelled S-A-P-P-H-I-R-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    A clear deep blue variety of corundum, valued as a precious stone.
  2. 2
    A white, yellow, or purple variety of corundum, either clear or translucent.
  3. 3
    A deep blue colour.
  4. 4
    Azure, when blazoning by precious stones.
  5. 5
    Any hummingbird in the genera Hylocharis and Chlorestes, as well as the rufous-throated sapphire, which is now in the genus Amazilia.
  6. 6
    Any of the butterflies in the southern Asian lycaenid genus Heliophorus or the African lycaenid genus Iolaus.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. Although there are dozens of different types of gems, among the best known and most important are diamond, ruby and sapphire, emerald and other gem forms of the mineral beryl, chrysoberyl, tanzanite, tsavorite, topaz and jade.
  2. Elgin. Topaz a Saltier and Chief Ruby, on a Canton Pearl a Lyon Rampant Saphyr, which last is their paternal Coat; […]

Etymology

From Middle English saphir, from Old French saphir, from Latin sapphir, sappir, sapphīrus, from Ancient Greek σάπφειρος (sáppheiros, “precious stone, gem”), from a Semitic language such as Hebrew סַפִּיר (sappī́r, “lapis lazuli”), originally from Assyrian Akkadian šipirtu (“lapis lazuli”).

This word in other languages

zafiro(Español)saphir(Français)Saphir(Deutsch)safira(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • aspphire
  • saphire
  • saphpire
  • sapphhire
  • sapphier
  • sapphirre
  • sapphrie
  • sappihre
  • spaphire
  • ssapphire

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of sapphire - 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.

aspphire2saphire1saphpire2sapphhire1sapphier2sapphirre1sapphrie2sappihre2
Edit distance from "sapphire"

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 "sapphire"?
"sapphire" is spelled S-A-P-P-H-I-R-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈsæf.aɪ̯ə(ɹ)/.
What does "sapphire" mean?
As a noun, "sapphire" means: A clear deep blue variety of corundum, valued as a precious stone.
What are common misspellings of "sapphire"?
Common misspellings include "aspphire", "saphire", "saphpire", "sapphhire", "sapphier". The correct spelling is "sapphire".
How do you pronounce "sapphire"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "sapphire" is /ˈsæf.aɪ̯ə(ɹ)/. 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 "sapphire"?
From Middle English saphir, from Old French saphir, from Latin sapphir, sappir, sapphīrus, from Ancient Greek σάπφειρος (sáppheiros, “precious stone, gem”), from a Semitic language such as Hebrew סַפִּיר (sappī́r, “lapis lazuli”), originally from ... 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 "sapphire", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 8 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

screwing#16,341simulate#16,346Stamford#16,357relocate#16,322

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (10 here; floor ≥5).

soaring10 variantssoluble10 variantsreclaim10 variantssturdy10 variants

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list