sutra

/ˈsuːtɹə/

//ˈsuːtɹə// noun

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

The verdict

“sutra” has 7 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #32,613. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#32,613
frequency rank, English
6,566
“S” headwords
7
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - A rule or thesis in Sanskrit grammar or Hindu law or philosophy.

Corpus desk

Index EN-sutra · sutra · English

sutra · rank #32,613 · 7 variants · 20 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #32,613
  • LEN-MID 5 letters
  • VOW-2 2 vowels
  • CONFUS-HIGH 20 pairs
  • VAR-MID 7 variants
  • BOOK-DENSE 6,566
  • PHOTO-FINISH summing

Nearest frequency peer: summing (-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 “sutra”

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

corpus weight

What this shows “sutra” 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

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

sutra vs suture
67% similar
sutra vs STA
0% similar
sutra vs STR
0% similar

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

Key facts for sutra
PropertyValue
Headwordsutra
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈsuːtɹə/
Letters5
Frequency rank#32,613
Misspellings tracked7
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “sutra”

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right).sutralands here:

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

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Same rarity band neighbours include “summing” (#32,612), “Sufi” (#32,611), “Sybil” (#32,615). Among 6,566 “S” headwords, “sutra” is #32,613. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 7 spelling variants around sutra (IPA /ˈsuːtɹə/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #32,613 among 6,566 “S” headwords. Wiktionary lists 2 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 7 likely wrong-spelling variants for sutra, with forms such as "ssutra", "stura", and "surta". 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, "suture", "STA", "STR", and more, since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowed from Sanskrit सूत्र (sū́tra, “thread, yarn, string; rule”). Doublet of sutta; more distantly related to sew and suture. The correct English form is sutra, spelled S-U-T-R-A.

Definition

  1. 1
    A rule or thesis in Sanskrit grammar or Hindu law or philosophy.
  2. 2
    A scriptural narrative, especially a discourse of the Buddha.

Recorded use

Wiktionary example

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

  1. Shepard: This Code of the Justicar seems central to your life. Samara: It is five thousand sutras, and covers every situation one can encounter. I have memorized every word. There is only the Code.

Etymology

Borrowed from Sanskrit सूत्र (sū́tra, “thread, yarn, string; rule”). Doublet of sutta; more distantly related to sew and suture.

This word in other languages

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • ssutra
  • stura
  • surta
  • sutar
  • sutrra
  • suttra
  • ustra

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

ssutra1stura2surta2sutar2sutrra1suttra1ustra2
Edit distance from "sutra"

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 "sutra"?
"sutra" is spelled S-U-T-R-A. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈsuːtɹə/.
What does "sutra" mean?
As a noun, "sutra" means: A rule or thesis in Sanskrit grammar or Hindu law or philosophy.
What words are commonly confused with "sutra"?
"sutra" is commonly confused with "suture", "STA", "STR". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "sutra"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "sutra" is /ˈsuːtɹə/. 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 "sutra"?
Borrowed from Sanskrit सूत्र (sū́tra, “thread, yarn, string; rule”). Doublet of sutta; more distantly related to sew and suture. 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 "sutra", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 5 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (7 here; floor ≥5).

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list