syringe

/sɪˈɹɪn(d)ʒ/

//sɪˈɹɪn(d)ʒ// noun

"syringe" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“syringe” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #20,511 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#20,511
frequency rank, English
7
letters
11
tracked misspellings
11
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A device used for injecting or drawing fluids through a membrane.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

syringe vs syringes
88% similar
syringe vs spring
71% similar
syringe vs string
71% similar

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

Key facts for syringe
PropertyValue
Headwordsyringe
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/sɪˈɹɪn(d)ʒ/
Letters7
Frequency rank#20,511
Misspellings tracked11
Confusable pairs11
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “syringe” 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). syringe 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 syringe is 7 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /sɪˈɹɪn(d)ʒ/. Corpus data places it at rank #20,511 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 11 likely wrong-spelling variants for syringe, with forms such as "sryinge", "ssyringe", and "syirnge". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. It also participates in 11 confusable-pair relationships, "syringes", "spring", "string", 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 French syringe (“syringe”), from Latin sȳringem, accusative of sȳrinx (“reed, panpipe”), from Ancient Greek σῦριγξ (sûrinx, “pipe, syrinx”). Doublet of syrinx. The correct English form is syringe, spelled S-Y-R-I-N-G-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    A device used for injecting or drawing fluids through a membrane.
  2. 2
    A device consisting of a hypodermic needle, a chamber for containing liquids, and a piston for applying pressure (to inject) or reducing pressure (to draw); a hypodermic syringe.

Etymology

From Middle French syringe (“syringe”), from Latin sȳringem, accusative of sȳrinx (“reed, panpipe”), from Ancient Greek σῦριγξ (sûrinx, “pipe, syrinx”). Doublet of syrinx.

This word in other languages

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: sryinge,ssyringe,syirnge,syrigne,syrineg,syringge,syrinnge,syrnige,syrringe,syyringe,ysringe

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

sryinge2ssyringe1syirnge2syrigne2syrineg2syringge1syrinnge1syrnige2
Edit distance from "syringe"

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 "syringe"?
"syringe" is spelled S-Y-R-I-N-G-E. The IPA pronunciation is /sɪˈɹɪn(d)ʒ/.
What does "syringe" mean?
As a noun, "syringe" means: A device used for injecting or drawing fluids through a membrane.
What words are commonly confused with "syringe"?
"syringe" is commonly confused with "syringes", "spring", "string". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "syringe"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "syringe" is /sɪˈɹɪn(d)ʒ/. 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 "syringe"?
From Middle French syringe (“syringe”), from Latin sȳringem, accusative of sȳrinx (“reed, panpipe”), from Ancient Greek σῦριγξ (sûrinx, “pipe, syrinx”). Doublet of syrinx. 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 “syringe”

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

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