symmetry

/ˈsɪm.ᵻ.tɹi/

//ˈsɪm.ᵻ.tɹi// noun

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

"symmetry" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“symmetry” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #14,849 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#14,849
frequency rank, English
8
letters
12
tracked misspellings
1
confusable pair

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Exact correspondence on either side of a dividing line, plane, center or axis.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

symmetry vs symmetric
78% similar

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

Key facts for symmetry
PropertyValue
Headwordsymmetry
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈsɪm.ᵻ.tɹi/
Letters8
Frequency rank#14,849
Misspellings tracked12
Confusable pairs1
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “symmetry” 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). symmetry 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 symmetry is 8 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈsɪm.ᵻ.tɹi/. Corpus data places it at rank #14,849 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 2 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 12 likely wrong-spelling variants for symmetry, with forms such as "smymetry", "ssymmetry", and "symemtry". 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 1 confusable-pair relationship, "symmetric", since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Latin symmetria, from Ancient Greek συμμετρία (summetría), from σύμμετρος (súmmetros, “symmetrical”), from σύν (sún, “with”) + μέτρον (métron, “measure”). By surface analysis, sym- + -metry. The correct English form is symmetry, spelled S-Y-M-M-E-T-R-Y.

Definition

  1. 1
    Exact correspondence on either side of a dividing line, plane, center or axis.
  2. 2
    The satisfying arrangement of a balanced distribution of the elements of a whole.

Etymology

From Latin symmetria, from Ancient Greek συμμετρία (summetría), from σύμμετρος (súmmetros, “symmetrical”), from σύν (sún, “with”) + μέτρον (métron, “measure”). By surface analysis, sym- + -metry.

This word in other languages

simetría(Español)symétrie(Français)Symmetrie(Deutsch)simetria(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: smymetry,ssymmetry,symemtry,symetry,symmerty,symmetrry,symmetryy,symmettry,symmetyr,symmtery,syymmetry,ysmmetry

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

smymetry2ssymmetry1symemtry2symetry1symmerty2symmetrry1symmetryy1symmettry1
Edit distance from "symmetry"

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 "symmetry"?
"symmetry" is spelled S-Y-M-M-E-T-R-Y. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈsɪm.ᵻ.tɹi/.
What does "symmetry" mean?
As a noun, "symmetry" means: Exact correspondence on either side of a dividing line, plane, center or axis.
What words are commonly confused with "symmetry"?
"symmetry" is commonly confused with "symmetric". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "symmetry"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "symmetry" is /ˈsɪm.ᵻ.tɹi/. 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 "symmetry"?
From Latin symmetria, from Ancient Greek συμμετρία (summetría), from σύμμετρος (súmmetros, “symmetrical”), from σύν (sún, “with”) + μέτρον (métron, “measure”). By surface analysis, sym- + -metry. 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 “symmetry”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is S-Y-M-M-E-T-R-Y - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈsɪm.ᵻ.tɹi/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “symmetric” - see the side-by-side comparison. symmetry vs symmetric
  • 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