split

/splɪt/

//splɪt// verb

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

"split" is a 5-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“split” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #2,270 in English word frequency and used as a verb.

#2,270
frequency rank, English
5
letters
7
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To divide fully or partly along a more or less straight line.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

split vs spot
60% similar
split vs suit
60% similar
split vs sport
60% similar

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

Key facts for split
PropertyValue
Headwordsplit
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/splɪt/
Letters5
Frequency rank#2,270
Misspellings tracked7
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “split” 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). split 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 split is 5 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /splɪt/. Corpus data places it at rank #2,270 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 14 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 7 likely wrong-spelling variants for split, with forms such as "pslit", "slpit", and "splitt". 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 20 confusable-pair relationships, "spot", "suit", "sport", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: Attested since about 1567, from Middle Dutch splitten (“to split”) and/or Middle Low German splitten (“to split”), both ultimately from Proto-West Germanic *splittjan, an intensive form of Proto-West Germanic *splītan (“to split”), from Proto-Germanic *splī… The correct English form is split, spelled S-P-L-I-T.

Definition

  1. 1
    To divide fully or partly along a more or less straight line.
  2. 2
    To break along the grain fully or partly along a more or less straight line.
  3. 3
    To share; to divide.
  4. 4
    To leave.
  5. 5
    To separate.
  6. 6
    To (cause to) break up; to throw into discord.
  7. 7
    To factor into linear factors.
  8. 8
    To factor into linear factors.
  9. 9
    To factor into linear factors.
  10. 10
    To be broken; to be dashed to pieces.
  11. 11
    To burst out laughing.
  12. 12
    To divulge a secret; to betray confidence; to peach.
  13. 13
    For both teams involved in a doubleheader to win one game each and lose another.
  14. 14
    To vote for candidates of opposite parties.

Etymology

Attested since about 1567, from Middle Dutch splitten (“to split”) and/or Middle Low German splitten (“to split”), both ultimately from Proto-West Germanic *splittjan, an intensive form of Proto-West Germanic *splītan (“to split”), from Proto-Germanic *splītaną (whence Danish splitte, Low German splieten, German spleißen), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)pley- (“to split, splice”). Compare Middle English ysplett (“split”, past participle of splatten (“to split”)), Old English speld (“splinter”), Old High German spaltan (“to split”), Middle Irish slis (“splinter”), Lithuanian spaliai (“flax sheaves”), Czech půl (“half”), Old Church Slavonic рас-плитати (ras-plitati, “to cleave, split”).

This word in other languages

partir(Español)fendre(Français)spalten(Deutsch)partir(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: pslit,slpit,splitt,spllit,splti,spplit,ssplit

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of split - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

pslit2slpit2splitt1spllit1splti2spplit1ssplit1
Edit distance from "split"

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 "split"?
"split" is spelled S-P-L-I-T. The IPA pronunciation is /splɪt/.
What does "split" mean?
As a verb, "split" means: To divide fully or partly along a more or less straight line.
What words are commonly confused with "split"?
"split" is commonly confused with "spot", "suit", "sport". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "split"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "split" is /splɪt/. 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 "split"?
Attested since about 1567, from Middle Dutch splitten (“to split”) and/or Middle Low German splitten (“to split”), both ultimately from Proto-West Germanic *splittjan, an intensive form of Proto-West Germanic *splītan (“to split”), from Proto-Germ... 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 “split”

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

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