template

/ˈtɛm.plɪt/

//ˈtɛm.plɪt// noun

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

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

The verdict

“template” has 12 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #11,132. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#11,132
frequency rank, English
3,151
“T” headwords
12
tracked misspellings
3
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - A physical object whose shape is used as a guide to make other objects.

Corpus desk

Index EN-template · template · English

template · rank #11,132 · 12 variants · 3 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #11,132
  • LEN-LONG 8 letters
  • VOW-3 3 vowels
  • CONFUS-LOW 3 pairs
  • VAR-MID 12 variants
  • BOOK-MID 3,151
  • PHOTO-FINISH TB

Nearest frequency peer: TB (-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.

Frequency neighbourhood for “template”

Lower corpus rank = more everyday usage (inverted bar length for readability)

corpus weight

What this shows Bars show where “template” sits against the nearest ranked English headwords in the FrequencyWords band, not a reprint of letter-browse containment.

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).

template vs temple
75% similar
template vs templar
75% similar
template vs temperate
78% similar

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

Key facts for template
PropertyValue
Headwordtemplate
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈtɛm.plɪt/
Letters8
Frequency rank#11,132
Misspellings tracked12
Confusable pairs3
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “template” sits in English frequency

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).templatelands 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 “TB” (#11,131), “Teresa” (#11,133), “tactic” (#11,130). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 12 spelling variants around template (IPA /ˈtɛm.plɪt/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #11,132 among 3,151 “T” headwords. Wiktionary lists 7 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 12 likely wrong-spelling variants for template, with forms such as "etmplate", "temlpate", and "temmplate". 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, "temple", "templar", "temperate", a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: Alteration of templet, probably from French templet, diminutive of temple (“a weaver's stretcher”), variant of tempe, from Latin tempora (“temple”). Alteration of second syllable due to analogy with plate. Cognate with Faroese tamba (“to stretch out, relax”… The correct English form is template, spelled T-E-M-P-L-A-T-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    A physical object whose shape is used as a guide to make other objects.
  2. 2
    A generic model or pattern from which other objects are based or derived.
  3. 3
    A file or document serving as a basis for others.
  4. 4
    A macromolecule which provides a pattern for the synthesis of another molecule.
  5. 5
    A partially defined class or function, that can be instantiated in a variety of ways depending on the instantiation arguments.
  6. 6
    A strip of metal used in boiler-making, pierced with a series of holes, and serving as a guide in marking out a line of rivet-holes.
  7. 7
    Synonym of temple.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. Gaelic also benefits from having a readily available template for Celtic minority language revitalisation, derived from Welsh and Irish.
  2. Classically, the functional product of coding genes is a protein whose synthesis is directed by an mRNA-template.

Etymology

Alteration of templet, probably from French templet, diminutive of temple (“a weaver's stretcher”), variant of tempe, from Latin tempora (“temple”). Alteration of second syllable due to analogy with plate. Cognate with Faroese tamba (“to stretch out, relax”), Icelandic þamb (“a stretched, bloated, or extended belly”).

This word in other languages

plantilla(Español)gabarit(Français)Vorlage(Deutsch)modelo(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • etmplate
  • temlpate
  • temmplate
  • tempalte
  • templaet
  • templatte
  • templlate
  • templtae
  • tempplate
  • tepmlate
  • tmeplate
  • ttemplate

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

etmplate2temlpate2temmplate1tempalte2templaet2templatte1templlate1templtae2
Edit distance from "template"

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 "template"?
"template" is spelled T-E-M-P-L-A-T-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈtɛm.plɪt/.
What does "template" mean?
As a noun, "template" means: A physical object whose shape is used as a guide to make other objects.
What words are commonly confused with "template"?
"template" is commonly confused with "temple", "templar", "temperate". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "template"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "template" is /ˈtɛm.plɪt/. 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 "template"?
Alteration of templet, probably from French templet, diminutive of temple (“a weaver's stretcher”), variant of tempe, from Latin tempora (“temple”). Alteration of second syllable due to analogy with plate. Cognate with Faroese tamba (“to stretch o... 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 "template", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 8 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

treaties#11,141sketches#11,117shutting#11,116severity#11,114

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (12 here; floor ≥5).

volcanic12 variantsscripts12 variantsalphabet12 variantsAuckland12 variants

What to do next

You've looked up "template". Here's where to go from here.

  • "template" maps to 3 confusable pairs in this vintage; the highest-scored is "temple". View pair
  • 12 edit-distance misspelling variants are generated for spell-check research on this headword. See variants
  • Usage frequency rank #11,132 among English headwords in this corpus. Corpus statistics
  • Browse more English words in the "T" letter cohort. T–Z browse
  • PlainSpell rotates a curated Word of the Day from the English corpus, a passive way to discover vocabulary. Word of the Day

PlainSpell is a reference corpus, not spelling advice. Verify unusual forms in context.

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