signify

/ˈsɪɡnɪfaɪ/

//ˈsɪɡnɪfaɪ// verb

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

"signify" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“signify” has 11 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #21,936. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#21,936
frequency rank, English
6,566
“S” headwords
11
tracked misspellings
1
confusable pair

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - To create a sign out of something.

Corpus desk

Index EN-signify · signify · English

signify · rank #21,936 · 11 variants · 1 confusable

  • FREQ-MID #21,936
  • LEN-LONG 7 letters
  • VOW-3 3 vowels
  • CONFUS-LOW 1 pairs
  • VAR-MID 11 variants
  • BOOK-DENSE 6,566
  • PHOTO-FINISH shoving

Nearest frequency peer: shoving (-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 “signify”

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

corpus weight

What this shows “signify” 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).

signify vs signing
71% similar

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

Key facts for signify
PropertyValue
Headwordsignify
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ˈsɪɡnɪfaɪ/
Letters7
Frequency rank#21,936
Misspellings tracked11
Confusable pairs1
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “signify”

Word frequency stretches from the small set of words we reach for constantly (left) out to the long tail barely used once in a while (right).signifylands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

The axis is logarithmic, with each marked tick roughly ten times rarer than the last. Same rarity band neighbours include “shoving” (#21,935), “shepherds” (#21,934), “shatter” (#21,933). Among 6,566 “S” headwords, “signify” is #21,936. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 11 spelling variants around signify (IPA /ˈsɪɡnɪfaɪ/), averb. Corpus frequency is #21,936 among 6,566 “S” headwords. Wiktionary lists 5 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 11 likely wrong-spelling variants for signify, with forms such as "isgnify", "sginify", and "siggnify". 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 1 confusable-pair relationship, "signing", where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: Inherited from Middle English signifien, from Old French signifier, from Latin significare. The correct English form is signify, spelled S-I-G-N-I-F-Y.

Definition

  1. 1
    To create a sign out of something.
  2. 2
    To give (something) a meaning or an importance.
  3. 3
    To show one’s intentions with a sign etc.; to indicate, announce, or portend.
  4. 4
    To mean; to betoken.
  5. 5
    To make a difference; to matter (in negative or interrogative expressions).

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. I’ll to the king; and signify to him / That thus I have resign’d my charge to you.
  2. For it seemeth to me unreasonable to send a prisoner, and not withal to signify the crimes laid against him.

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English signifien, from Old French signifier, from Latin significare.

Synonyms

meanbetokenimport

This word in other languages

significar(Español)signifier(Français)bedeuten(Deutsch)significar(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • isgnify
  • sginify
  • siggnify
  • siginfy
  • signfiy
  • signiffy
  • signifyy
  • signiyf
  • signnify
  • singify
  • ssignify

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

isgnify2sginify2siggnify1siginfy2signfiy2signiffy1signifyy1signiyf2
Edit distance from "signify"

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 "signify"?
"signify" is spelled S-I-G-N-I-F-Y. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈsɪɡnɪfaɪ/.
What does "signify" mean?
As a verb, "signify" means: To create a sign out of something.
What words are commonly confused with "signify"?
"signify" is commonly confused with "signing". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "signify"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "signify" is /ˈsɪɡnɪfaɪ/. 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 "signify"?
Inherited from Middle English signifien, from Old French signifier, from Latin significare. 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 "signify", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 7 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

shoving#21,935shatter#21,933sketchy#21,939sexiest#21,930

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (11 here; floor ≥5).

snowfall11 variantsRichter11 variantsWharton11 variantswhopping11 variants

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list