specifically

/spɪˈsɪf.ɪ.kli/

//spɪˈsɪf.ɪ.kli// adv

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

"specifically" is a 12-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“specifically” has 17 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #2,269. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#2,269
frequency rank, English
6,566
“S” headwords
17
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - In a specific manner, applying to or naming a particular thing or things, expressly, explicitly.

Corpus desk

Index EN-specifically · specifically · English

specifically · rank #2,269 · 17 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-COMMON #2,269
  • LEN-MEGA 12 letters
  • VOW-5 5 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-HIGH 17 variants
  • BOOK-DENSE 6,566
  • PHOTO-FINISH revealed

Nearest frequency peer: revealed (-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 “specifically”

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

corpus weight

What this shows “specifically” 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
Key facts for specifically
PropertyValue
Headwordspecifically
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdverb
IPA/spɪˈsɪf.ɪ.kli/
Letters12
Frequency rank#2,269
Misspellings tracked17
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “specifically”

This scale runs from the tiny cluster of words that carry ordinary speech (left) to the long tail of words almost nobody reaches for (right).specificallylands here:

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

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Same rarity band neighbours include “revealed” (#2,268), “split” (#2,270), “quiet” (#2,267). Among 6,566 “S” headwords, “specifically” is #2,269. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 17 spelling variants around specifically (IPA /spɪˈsɪf.ɪ.kli/), anadverb. Corpus frequency is #2,269 among 6,566 “S” headwords. Wiktionary lists 2 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 17 likely wrong-spelling variants for specifically, with forms such as "psecifically", "sepcifically", and "spceifically". 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 is not paired with a close-neighbour confusable in our dataset, suggesting its spelling stands apart enough that readers rarely confuse it with something else.

Etymologically, the entry records: From specific + -ally. The correct English form is specifically, spelled S-P-E-C-I-F-I-C-A-L-L-Y.

Definition

  1. 1
    In a specific manner, applying to or naming a particular thing or things, expressly, explicitly.
  2. 2
    For a specific purpose or reason.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. A provision of law may not be construed as requiring a new grant to be awarded to a specified non-Federal Government entity unless that provision of law (1) specifically refers to this subsection; specifically identifies the particular non-Federal Government entity involved; and (3) specifically states that the award to that entity is required by such pro…
  2. Unless specifically waived by the IRB, all subjects, or their legally authorized representatives, must document that they are consenting to participate in any research project that is approved by the University of North Dakota Institutional Review Board.

Etymology

From specific + -ally.

Synonyms

especiallyin especialin particularnamelyparticularlypeculiarlyspeciallyspecificallyto wit

Antonyms

generally

This word in other languages

específicamente(Español)spécifiquement(Français)extra(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • psecifically
  • sepcifically
  • spceifically
  • speccifically
  • specfiically
  • specifcially
  • speciffically
  • specifiaclly
  • specificallyy
  • specificaly
  • specificalyl
  • specificcally
  • specificlaly
  • speciifcally
  • speicfically
  • sppecifically
  • sspecifically

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of specifically - 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.

psecifically2sepcifically2spceifically2speccifically1specfiically2specifcially2speciffically1specifiaclly2
Edit distance from "specifically"

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 "specifically"?
"specifically" is spelled S-P-E-C-I-F-I-C-A-L-L-Y. The IPA pronunciation is /spɪˈsɪf.ɪ.kli/.
What does "specifically" mean?
As an adverb, "specifically" means: In a specific manner, applying to or naming a particular thing or things, expressly, explicitly.
What are common misspellings of "specifically"?
Common misspellings include "psecifically", "sepcifically", "spceifically", "speccifically", "specfiically". The correct spelling is "specifically".
How do you pronounce "specifically"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "specifically" is /spɪˈsɪf.ɪ.kli/. 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 "specifically"?
From specific + -ally. 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 "specifically", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 12 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

applications#2,279distribution#2,290requirements#2,310conservative#2,433

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (17 here; floor ≥5).

considering17 variantscombination17 variantsopportunities17 variantsintelligence17 variants

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list