scheme

/skiːm/

//skiːm// noun

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

"scheme" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“scheme” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #2,643 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#2,643
frequency rank, English
6
letters
9
tracked misspellings
8
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - An artful deviation from the ordinary arrangement of words.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

scheme vs Shem
50% similar
scheme vs shame
67% similar
scheme vs sphere
67% similar

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

Key facts for scheme
PropertyValue
Headwordscheme
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/skiːm/
Letters6
Frequency rank#2,643
Misspellings tracked9
Confusable pairs8
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “scheme” 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). scheme 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 scheme is 6 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /skiːm/. Corpus data places it at rank #2,643 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 9 likely wrong-spelling variants for scheme, with forms such as "csheme", "sccheme", and "scehme". 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 8 confusable-pair relationships, "Shem", "shame", "sphere", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: From late Middle English scheame, from Medieval Latin schēma (“figure, form”), from Ancient Greek σχῆμα (skhêma, “form, shape”), from ἔχω (ékhō, “I hold”). Doublet of schema. Compare sketch. The correct English form is scheme, spelled S-C-H-E-M-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    An artful deviation from the ordinary arrangement of words.
  2. 2
    A representation of the aspects of the celestial bodies for any moment or at a given event.
  3. 3
    A systematic plan of future action.
  4. 4
    A plot or secret, devious plan.
  5. 5
    An orderly combination of related parts.
  6. 6
    A chart or diagram of a system or object.
  7. 7
    A mathematical structure that generalizes the notion of an algebraic variety in several ways, such as taking account of multiplicities and allowing "varieties" defined over any commutative ring. Formally, a locally ringed space that admits a covering by open sets, each of which is isomorphic to an affine scheme (i.e. the spectrum of some commutative ring).
  8. 8
    A council housing estate.
  9. 9
    Part of a uniform resource identifier indicating the protocol or other purpose, such as http: or news:.
  10. 10
    A portfolio of pension plans with related benefits comprising multiple independent members.

Etymology

From late Middle English scheame, from Medieval Latin schēma (“figure, form”), from Ancient Greek σχῆμα (skhêma, “form, shape”), from ἔχω (ékhō, “I hold”). Doublet of schema. Compare sketch.

This word in other languages

régimen(Español)plan(Français)Programm(Deutsch)esquema(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: csheme,sccheme,scehme,scheem,schemme,schheme,schmee,shceme,sscheme

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

csheme2sccheme1scehme2scheem2schemme1schheme1schmee2shceme2
Edit distance from "scheme"

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 "scheme"?
"scheme" is spelled S-C-H-E-M-E. The IPA pronunciation is /skiːm/.
What does "scheme" mean?
As a noun, "scheme" means: An artful deviation from the ordinary arrangement of words.
What words are commonly confused with "scheme"?
"scheme" is commonly confused with "Shem", "shame", "sphere". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "scheme"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "scheme" is /skiːm/. 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 "scheme"?
From late Middle English scheame, from Medieval Latin schēma (“figure, form”), from Ancient Greek σχῆμα (skhêma, “form, shape”), from ἔχω (ékhō, “I hold”). Doublet of schema. Compare sketch. 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 “scheme”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is S-C-H-E-M-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /skiːm/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “Shem” - see the side-by-side comparison. scheme vs Shem
  • 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