string

/stɹɪŋ/

//stɹɪŋ// noun

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

The verdict

“string” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #3,658 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#3,658
frequency rank, English
6
letters
10
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A long, thin and flexible structure made from threads twisted together.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

string vs strip
67% similar
string vs swing
67% similar
string vs suing
67% similar

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

Key facts for string
PropertyValue
Headwordstring
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/stɹɪŋ/
Letters6
Frequency rank#3,658
Misspellings tracked10
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “string” 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). string 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 string is 6 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /stɹɪŋ/. Corpus data places it at rank #3,658 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 31 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 10 likely wrong-spelling variants for string, with forms such as "srting", "sstring", and "stirng". 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 20 confusable-pair relationships, "strip", "swing", "suing", and more, since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English string, streng, strynge, from Old English strenġ, from Proto-West Germanic *strangi, from Proto-Germanic *strangiz (“string”), from Proto-Indo-European *strengʰ- (“rope, cord, strand; to tighten”). Cognate with Scots string (“string”), D… The correct English form is string, spelled S-T-R-I-N-G.

Definition

  1. 1
    A long, thin and flexible structure made from threads twisted together.
  2. 2
    Any similar long, thin and flexible object.
  3. 3
    Any similar long, thin and flexible object.
  4. 4
    A thread or cord on which a number of objects or parts are strung or arranged in close and orderly succession; hence, a line or series of things arranged on a thread, or as if so arranged.
  5. 5
    A cohesive substance taking the form of a string.
  6. 6
    A series of items or events.
  7. 7
    A slightly elevated (long, thin) peat ridge in a bog.
  8. 8
    The members of a sports team or squad regarded as most likely to achieve success. (Perhaps metaphorical as the "strings" that hold the squad together.) Often first string, second string etc.
  9. 9
    In various games and competitions, a certain number of turns at play, of rounds, etc.
  10. 10
    A drove of horses, or a group of racehorses kept by one owner or at one stable.
  11. 11
    An ordered sequence of text characters stored consecutively in memory and capable of being processed as a single entity.
  12. 12
    A stringed instrument.
  13. 13
    The stringed instruments as a section of an orchestra, especially those played by a bow, or the persons playing those instruments.
  14. 14
    The conditions and limitations in a contract collectively.
  15. 15
    A tiny one-dimensional string-like entity, the main object of study in string theory, a branch of theoretical physics.
  16. 16
    Cannabis or marijuana.
  17. 17
    Part of the game of billiards, where the order of the play is determined by testing who can get a ball closest to the bottom rail by shooting it onto the end rail.
  18. 18
    The buttons strung on a wire by which the score is kept.
  19. 19
    The points made in a game of billiards.
  20. 20
    The line from behind and over which the cue ball must be played after being out of play, as by being pocketed or knocked off the table; also called the string line.
  21. 21
    A strip, as of leather, by which the covers of a book are held together.
  22. 22
    A fibre, as of a plant; a little fibrous root.
  23. 23
    A nerve or tendon of an animal body.
  24. 24
    A board supporting steps
  25. 25
    An inside range of ceiling planks, corresponding to the sheer strake on the outside and bolted to it.
  26. 26
    The tough fibrous substance that unites the valves of the pericarp of leguminous plants.
  27. 27
    A small, filamentous ramification of a metallic vein.
  28. 28
    A stringcourse.
  29. 29
    A hoax; a fake story.
  30. 30
    Synonym of stable (“group of prostitutes managed by one pimp”).
  31. 31
    A column of drill pipe that transmits drilling fluid (using the mud pumps) and torque (using the kelly drive or top drive) to the drill bit.

Etymology

From Middle English string, streng, strynge, from Old English strenġ, from Proto-West Germanic *strangi, from Proto-Germanic *strangiz (“string”), from Proto-Indo-European *strengʰ- (“rope, cord, strand; to tighten”). Cognate with Scots string (“string”), Dutch streng (“cord, strand”), Low German strenge (“strand, cord, rope”), German Strang (“strand, cord, rope”), Danish streng (“string”), Swedish sträng (“string, cord, wire”), Icelandic strengur (“string”), Latvian stringt (“to be tight, wither”), Latin stringō (“I tighten”), Ancient Greek στραγγαλόομαι (strangalóomai, “to strangle”), from στραγγάλη (strangálē, “halter”), Ancient Greek στραγγός (strangós, “tied together, entangled, twisted”).

Synonyms

This word in other languages

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: srting,sstring,stirng,strign,stringg,strinng,strnig,strring,sttring,tsring

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

srting2sstring1stirng2strign2stringg1strinng1strnig2strring1
Edit distance from "string"

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 "string"?
"string" is spelled S-T-R-I-N-G. The IPA pronunciation is /stɹɪŋ/.
What does "string" mean?
As a noun, "string" means: A long, thin and flexible structure made from threads twisted together.
What words are commonly confused with "string"?
"string" is commonly confused with "strip", "swing", "suing". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "string"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "string" is /stɹɪŋ/. 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 "string"?
From Middle English string, streng, strynge, from Old English strenġ, from Proto-West Germanic *strangi, from Proto-Germanic *strangiz (“string”), from Proto-Indo-European *strengʰ- (“rope, cord, strand; to tighten”). Cognate with Scots string (“s... 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 “string”

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

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