subroutine

noun

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

"subroutine" is a 10-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“subroutine” is an uncommon English word, ranked #51,425 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#51,425
frequency rank, English
10
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A section of code, called by the main body of a program, that implements a task.

Key facts for subroutine
PropertyValue
Headwordsubroutine
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
Letters10
Frequency rank#51,425
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “subroutine” 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). subroutine 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 subroutine is 10 letters long, classified as a noun. Corpus data places it at rank #51,425 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. The dominant gloss from Wiktionary reads: "A section of code, called by the main body of a program, that implements a task.".

No misspelling variants are generated for subroutine in our index, a straightforward case of a spelling with little room for common typos. No confusable counterpart is on file for this word, since no other headword is close enough in sound or shape to pair with it.

Etymologically, the entry records: From sub- + routine. The correct English form is subroutine, spelled S-U-B-R-O-U-T-I-N-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    A section of code, called by the main body of a program, that implements a task.

Etymology

From sub- + routine.

This word in other languages

subrutina(Español)fonction(Français)Funktion(Deutsch)

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 "subroutine"?
"subroutine" is spelled S-U-B-R-O-U-T-I-N-E.
What does "subroutine" mean?
As a noun, "subroutine" means: A section of code, called by the main body of a program, that implements a task.
What is the origin of the word "subroutine"?
From sub- + routine. 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 “subroutine”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is S-U-B-R-O-U-T-I-N-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • 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