tariff

/ˈtæɹɪf/

//ˈtæɹɪf// noun

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

"tariff" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“tariff” has 7 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #15,290. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#15,290
frequency rank, English
3,151
“T” headwords
7
tracked misspellings
3
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - A system of government-imposed duties levied on imported or exported goods; a list of such duties, or the duties themselves.

Corpus desk

Index EN-tariff · tariff · English

tariff · rank #15,290 · 7 variants · 3 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #15,290
  • LEN-LONG 6 letters
  • VOW-2 2 vowels
  • CONFUS-LOW 3 pairs
  • VAR-MID 7 variants
  • BOOK-MID 3,151
  • PHOTO-FINISH tao

Nearest frequency peer: tao (-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 “tariff”

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

corpus weight

What this shows “tariff” 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).

tariff vs tiff
67% similar
tariff vs Tariq
50% similar
tariff vs thrift
67% similar

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

Key facts for tariff
PropertyValue
Headwordtariff
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈtæɹɪf/
Letters6
Frequency rank#15,290
Misspellings tracked7
Confusable pairs3
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “tariff”

This scale runs from the tiny cluster of words that carry ordinary speech (left) to the long tail of words almost nobody reaches for (right).tarifflands here:

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

Ticks step logarithmically, so each one marks a roughly tenfold drop in how often the word turns up. Same rarity band neighbours include “tao” (#15,289), “techno” (#15,291), “teller” (#15,292). Among 3,151 “T” headwords, “tariff” is #15,290. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 7 spelling variants around tariff (IPA /ˈtæɹɪf/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #15,290 among 3,151 “T” headwords. Wiktionary lists 3 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 7 likely wrong-spelling variants for tariff, with forms such as "atriff", "tairff", and "tarfif". 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 3 confusable-pair relationships, "tiff", "Tariq", "thrift", since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Italian tariffa (“arithmetical table; list of customs duties”), from Arabic تَعْرِيف (taʕrīf, “notification, explanation”). Equivalent to Portuguese and Spanish tarifa and the French tarif and first attested in 1592. The correct English form is tariff, spelled T-A-R-I-F-F.

Definition

  1. 1
    A system of government-imposed duties levied on imported or exported goods; a list of such duties, or the duties themselves.
  2. 2
    A schedule of rates, fees or prices.
  3. 3
    A sentence determined according to a scale of standard penalties for certain categories of crime.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. This question may be placed in another light. It is agreed on all sides, that numbers are the best scale of wealth and taxation, as they are the only proper scale of representation. Would the convention have been impartial or consistent, if they had rejected the slaves from the list of inhabitants, when the shares of representation were to be calculated,…
  2. For the sake of this support, the party advocated for agricultural tariffs, for antimargarine laws, and for restrictions on meat importation.

Etymology

From Italian tariffa (“arithmetical table; list of customs duties”), from Arabic تَعْرِيف (taʕrīf, “notification, explanation”). Equivalent to Portuguese and Spanish tarifa and the French tarif and first attested in 1592.

This word in other languages

arancel(Español)droit de douane(Français)Tarif(Deutsch)tarifa(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • atriff
  • tairff
  • tarfif
  • tarif
  • tarriff
  • traiff
  • ttariff

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

atriff2tairff2tarfif2tarif1tarriff1traiff2ttariff1
Edit distance from "tariff"

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 "tariff"?
"tariff" is spelled T-A-R-I-F-F. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈtæɹɪf/.
What does "tariff" mean?
As a noun, "tariff" means: A system of government-imposed duties levied on imported or exported goods; a list of such duties, or the duties themselves.
What words are commonly confused with "tariff"?
"tariff" is commonly confused with "tiff", "Tariq", "thrift". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "tariff"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "tariff" is /ˈtæɹɪf/. 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 "tariff"?
From Italian tariffa (“arithmetical table; list of customs duties”), from Arabic تَعْرِيف (taʕrīf, “notification, explanation”). Equivalent to Portuguese and Spanish tarifa and the French tarif and first attested in 1592. 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 "tariff", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 6 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

techno#15,291teller#15,292trance#15,296Suarez#15,282

Similar misspelling depth

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

Patel7 variantsparrot7 variantspaddle7 variantsOprah7 variants

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list