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
27,828
“T” headwords
7
tracked misspellings
3
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A system of government-imposed duties levied on imported or exported goods; a list of such duties, or the duties themselves.

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)

Where “tariff” 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). tariff lands here:

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

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). 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 27,828 “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.

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.

Using “tariff”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is T-A-R-I-F-F - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈtæɹɪf/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “tiff” - see the side-by-side comparison. tariff vs tiff
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words

Same frequency band

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