sign

/saɪn/

//saɪn// noun

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

"sign" is a 4-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“sign” is in the everyday core of English, ranked #885 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#885
frequency rank, English
4
letters
5
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A visible fact that shows that something exists or may happen.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

sign vs six
50% similar
sign vs son
50% similar
sign vs sir
50% similar

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

Key facts for sign
PropertyValue
Headwordsign
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/saɪn/
Letters4
Frequency rank#885
Misspellings tracked5
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “sign” 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). sign 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 sign is 4 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /saɪn/. Corpus data places it at rank #885 in overall English word frequency, putting it firmly in the everyday core of the language. Wiktionary records 13 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 5 likely wrong-spelling variants for sign, with forms such as "isgn", "sgin", and "siggn". 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 20 confusable-pair relationships, "six", "son", "sir", and more, since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English signe, sygne, syng, seine, sine, syne, from Old English seġn (“sign; mark; token”) and Old French signe, seing (“sign; mark; signature”); both from Latin signum (“a mark; sign; token”); root uncertain. Doublet of signum. Partially displa… The correct English form is sign, spelled S-I-G-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    A visible fact that shows that something exists or may happen.
  2. 2
    A visible fact that shows that something exists or may happen.
  3. 3
    A visible fact that shows that something exists or may happen.
  4. 4
    A mark or another symbol used to represent something.
  5. 5
    Physical evidence left by an animal.
  6. 6
    A clearly visible object, generally flat, bearing a short message in words or pictures.
  7. 7
    A wonder; miracle; prodigy.
  8. 8
    An astrological sign.
  9. 9
    Positive or negative polarity, as denoted by the + or - sign.
  10. 10
    A specific gesture or motion used to communicate by those with speaking or hearing difficulties; now specifically, a linguistic unit in sign language equivalent to word in spoken languages.
  11. 11
    Sign language in general.
  12. 12
    A semantic unit, something that conveys meaning or information (e.g. a word of written language); (linguistics, semiotics) a unit consisting of a signifier and a signified concept. (See sign (semiotics).)
  13. 13
    A military emblem carried on a banner or standard.

Etymology

From Middle English signe, sygne, syng, seine, sine, syne, from Old English seġn (“sign; mark; token”) and Old French signe, seing (“sign; mark; signature”); both from Latin signum (“a mark; sign; token”); root uncertain. Doublet of signum. Partially displaced native token.

This word in other languages

signo(Español)signe(Français)Zeichen(Deutsch)símbolo(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: isgn,sgin,siggn,signn,ssign

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

isgn2sgin2siggn1signn1ssign1
Edit distance from "sign"

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 "sign"?
"sign" is spelled S-I-G-N. The IPA pronunciation is /saɪn/.
What does "sign" mean?
As a noun, "sign" means: A visible fact that shows that something exists or may happen.
What words are commonly confused with "sign"?
"sign" is commonly confused with "six", "son", "sir". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "sign"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "sign" is /saɪn/. 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 "sign"?
From Middle English signe, sygne, syng, seine, sine, syne, from Old English seġn (“sign; mark; token”) and Old French signe, seing (“sign; mark; signature”); both from Latin signum (“a mark; sign; token”); root uncertain. Doublet of signum. Partia... 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 “sign”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is S-I-G-N - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /saɪn/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “six” - see the side-by-side comparison. sign vs six
  • 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