super

/ˈs(j)uː.pə/

//ˈs(j)uː.pə// adj

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

The verdict

“super” is in the everyday core of English, ranked #889 in English word frequency and used as an adjective.

#889
frequency rank, English
5
letters
6
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Of excellent quality, superfine.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

super vs sure
60% similar
super vs supp
60% similar
super vs supra
60% similar

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

Key facts for super
PropertyValue
Headwordsuper
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ˈs(j)uː.pə/
Letters5
Frequency rank#889
Misspellings tracked6
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “super” 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). super 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 super is 5 letters long, classified as an adjective, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈs(j)uː.pə/. Corpus data places it at rank #889 in overall English word frequency, putting it firmly in the everyday core of the language. Wiktionary records 2 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 6 likely wrong-spelling variants for super, with forms such as "spuer", "ssuper", and "suepr". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "sure", "supp", "supra", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: From super- (prefix), from Middle English super-, from Latin super-, from super (“above”). Doublet of over and hyper. The correct English form is super, spelled S-U-P-E-R.

Definition

  1. 1
    Of excellent quality, superfine.
  2. 2
    Better than average, better than usual; wonderful.

Etymology

From super- (prefix), from Middle English super-, from Latin super-, from super (“above”). Doublet of over and hyper.

Synonyms

This word in other languages

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: spuer,ssuper,suepr,superr,supre,usper

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

spuer2ssuper1suepr2superr1supre2usper2
Edit distance from "super"

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 "super"?
"super" is spelled S-U-P-E-R. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈs(j)uː.pə/.
What does "super" mean?
As an adjective, "super" means: Of excellent quality, superfine.
What words are commonly confused with "super"?
"super" is commonly confused with "sure", "supp", "supra". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "super"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "super" is /ˈs(j)uː.pə/. 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 "super"?
From super- (prefix), from Middle English super-, from Latin super-, from super (“above”). Doublet of over and hyper. 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 “super”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is S-U-P-E-R - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈs(j)uː.pə/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “sure” - see the side-by-side comparison. super vs sure
  • 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