signify
/ˈsɪɡnɪfaɪ/
"signify" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“signify” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #21,936 in English word frequency and used as a verb.
- #21,936
- frequency rank, English
- 7
- letters
- 11
- tracked misspellings
- 1
- confusable pair
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To create a sign out of something.
Visual similarity to commonly confused words
How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).
Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | signify |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Verb |
| IPA | /ˈsɪɡnɪfaɪ/ |
| Letters | 7 |
| Frequency rank | #21,936 |
| Misspellings tracked | 11 |
| Confusable pairs | 1 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Where “signify” sits in English frequency
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
The English entry for signify is 7 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈsɪɡnɪfaɪ/. Corpus data places it at rank #21,936 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 5 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.
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
- 1To create a sign out of something.
- 2To give (something) a meaning or an importance.
- 3To show one’s intentions with a sign etc.; to indicate, announce, or portend.
- 4To mean; to betoken.
- 5To make a difference; to matter (in negative or interrogative expressions).
Etymology
Inherited from Middle English signifien, from Old French signifier, from Latin significare.
This word in other languages
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.
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"?
What does "signify" mean?
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Using “signify”
The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.
- The one correct English spelling is S-I-G-N-I-F-Y - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
- Say it as /ˈsɪɡnɪfaɪ/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
- Don't mix it up with “signing” - see the side-by-side comparison. signify vs signing
- 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.