simple

/ˈsɪm.pəl/

//ˈsɪm.pəl// adj

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

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

The verdict

“simple” has 9 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #886. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#886
frequency rank, English
6,566
“S” headwords
9
tracked misspellings
14
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - Uncomplicated; lacking complexity; taken by itself, with nothing added.

Corpus desk

Index EN-simple · simple · English

simple · rank #886 · 9 variants · 14 confusables

  • FREQ-CORE #886
  • LEN-LONG 6 letters
  • VOW-2 2 vowels
  • CONFUS-MID 14 pairs
  • VAR-MID 9 variants
  • BOOK-DENSE 6,566
  • PHOTO-FINISH sign

Nearest frequency peer: sign (-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.

Frequency neighbourhood for “simple”

Lower corpus rank = more everyday usage (inverted bar length for readability)

corpus weight

What this shows Bars show where “simple” sits against the nearest ranked English headwords in the FrequencyWords band, not a reprint of letter-browse containment.

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).

simple vs smile
67% similar
simple vs single
67% similar
simple vs simply
83% similar

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

Key facts for simple
PropertyValue
Headwordsimple
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ˈsɪm.pəl/
Letters6
Frequency rank#886
Misspellings tracked9
Confusable pairs14
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “simple” sits in English frequency

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).simple lands here:

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

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 9 spelling variants around simple (IPA /ˈsɪm.pəl/), anadjective. Corpus frequency is #886 among 6,566 “S” headwords. Wiktionary lists 20 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 9 likely wrong-spelling variants for simple, with forms such as "ismple", "simlpe", and "simmple". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 14 confusable-pair relationships, "smile", "single", "simply", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: Inherited from Middle English symple, simple, from Old French simple, from Latin simplex (“simple”, literally “onefold”) (as opposed to duplex (“double”, literally “twofold”)), from semel (“the same”) + plicō (“I fold”). See same and fold. Compare single, s… The correct English form is simple, spelled S-I-M-P-L-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    Uncomplicated; lacking complexity; taken by itself, with nothing added.
  2. 2
    Easy; not difficult.
  3. 3
    Without ornamentation; plain.
  4. 4
    Free from duplicity; guileless, innocent, straightforward.
  5. 5
    Undistinguished in social condition; of no special rank.
  6. 6
    Trivial; insignificant.
  7. 7
    Feeble-minded; foolish.
  8. 8
    Structurally uncomplicated.
  9. 9
    Structurally uncomplicated.
  10. 10
    Structurally uncomplicated.
  11. 11
    Structurally uncomplicated.
  12. 12
    Structurally uncomplicated.
  13. 13
    Structurally uncomplicated.
  14. 14
    Structurally uncomplicated.
  15. 15
    Structurally uncomplicated.
  16. 16
    Structurally uncomplicated.
  17. 17
    Structurally uncomplicated.
  18. 18
    Structurally uncomplicated.
  19. 19
    Structurally uncomplicated.
  20. 20
    Mere; not other than; being only.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. We are engaged in a great work, a treatise on our river fortifications, perhaps? But since when did army officers afford the luxury of amanuenses in this simple republic?
  2. Primitive people, colossally ignorant of the cause of disease and of curative processes, attributed to supernatural agencies any causes and effects for which their simple minds could give no natural explanations.

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English symple, simple, from Old French simple, from Latin simplex (“simple”, literally “onefold”) (as opposed to duplex (“double”, literally “twofold”)), from semel (“the same”) + plicō (“I fold”). See same and fold. Compare single, singular, simultaneous, etc. Partially displaced native English onefold.

This word in other languages

simple(Español)simple(Français)einfach(Deutsch)simples(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • ismple
  • simlpe
  • simmple
  • simpel
  • simplle
  • simpple
  • sipmle
  • smiple
  • ssimple

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

ismple2simlpe2simmple1simpel2simplle1simpple1sipmle2smiple2
Edit distance from "simple"

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.

PlainSpell is rendered directly from structured Wiktionary extracts and open word-frequency lists, no number is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of September 3, 2026. Primary sources: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) and FrequencyWords.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "simple"?
"simple" is spelled S-I-M-P-L-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈsɪm.pəl/.
What does "simple" mean?
As an adjective, "simple" means: Uncomplicated; lacking complexity; taken by itself, with nothing added.
What words are commonly confused with "simple"?
"simple" is commonly confused with "smile", "single", "simply". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "simple"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "simple" is /ˈsɪm.pəl/. 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 "simple"?
Inherited from Middle English symple, simple, from Old French simple, from Latin simplex (“simple”, literally “onefold”) (as opposed to duplex (“double”, literally “twofold”)), from semel (“the same”) + plicō (“I fold”). See same and fold. Compare... 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 "simple", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 6 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

simply#887career#896events#872figure#904

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (9 here; floor ≥5).

Michael9 variantsmodern9 variantswritten9 variantsturned9 variants

What to do next

You've looked up "simple". Here's where to go from here.

  • "simple" maps to 14 confusable pairs in this vintage; the highest-scored is "smile". View pair
  • 9 edit-distance misspelling variants are generated for spell-check research on this headword. See variants
  • Usage frequency rank #886 among English headwords in this corpus. Corpus statistics
  • Browse more English words in the "S" letter cohort. S–Z browse
  • PlainSpell rotates a curated Word of the Day from the English corpus, a passive way to discover vocabulary. Word of the Day

PlainSpell is a reference corpus, not spelling advice. Verify unusual forms in context.

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