sinister

/ˈsɪnɪstə/

//ˈsɪnɪstə// adj

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

"sinister" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“sinister” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #13,064 in English word frequency and used as an adjective.

#13,064
frequency rank, English
8
letters
12
tracked misspellings
2
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Inauspicious, ominous, unlucky, illegitimate (as in bar sinister).

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

sinister vs sister
75% similar
sinister vs spinster
75% similar

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

Key facts for sinister
PropertyValue
Headwordsinister
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ˈsɪnɪstə/
Letters8
Frequency rank#13,064
Misspellings tracked12
Confusable pairs2
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “sinister” 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). sinister 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 sinister is 8 letters long, classified as an adjective, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈsɪnɪstə/. Corpus data places it at rank #13,064 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 12 likely wrong-spelling variants for sinister, with forms such as "isnister", "siinster", and "sinisetr". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. It also participates in 2 confusable-pair relationships, "sister", "spinster", where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English sinistre (“unlucky”), from Old French senestre, sinistre (“left”), from Latin sinister (“left hand”). The correct English form is sinister, spelled S-I-N-I-S-T-E-R.

Definition

  1. 1
    Inauspicious, ominous, unlucky, illegitimate (as in bar sinister).
  2. 2
    Evil or seemingly evil; indicating lurking danger or harm.
  3. 3
    Of the left side.
  4. 4
    On the left side of a shield from the wearer's standpoint, and the right side to the viewer.
  5. 5
    Wrong, as springing from indirection or obliquity; perverse; dishonest.

Etymology

From Middle English sinistre (“unlucky”), from Old French senestre, sinistre (“left”), from Latin sinister (“left hand”).

This word in other languages

siniestro(Español)sinistre(Français)sinister(Deutsch)sinistro(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: isnister,siinster,sinisetr,sinisster,sinisterr,sinistre,sinistter,sinitser,sinnister,sinsiter,sniister,ssinister

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of sinister - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

isnister2siinster2sinisetr2sinisster1sinisterr1sinistre2sinistter1sinitser2
Edit distance from "sinister"

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 "sinister"?
"sinister" is spelled S-I-N-I-S-T-E-R. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈsɪnɪstə/.
What does "sinister" mean?
As an adjective, "sinister" means: Inauspicious, ominous, unlucky, illegitimate (as in bar sinister).
What words are commonly confused with "sinister"?
"sinister" is commonly confused with "sister", "spinster". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "sinister"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "sinister" is /ˈsɪnɪstə/. 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 "sinister"?
From Middle English sinistre (“unlucky”), from Old French senestre, sinistre (“left”), from Latin sinister (“left hand”). 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 “sinister”

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

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