# Tetris

> English word · Proper noun · IPA /ˈtɛtɹɪs/ · frequency rank #31,793

## Definitions
1. A puzzle video game in which falling tetrominoes must be manipulated to form complete lines, which are then cleared from the grid.
2. An endeavor involving rearranging things of different shape into a physical space.

## Etymology
From Russian Те́трис (Tétris), coined by the creator of the game, Alexey Pajitnov, from the Russian numerical prefix тетра- (tetra-, “tetra-”) (as all of the game's pieces contain four segments) and те́ннис (ténnis, “tennis”), his favourite sport.

## Easily confused with
- **tris** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tetris-vs-tris)
- **Tigris** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tetris-vs-tigris)
- **Teri** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/teri-vs-tetris)
- **terms** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/terms-vs-tetris)
- **tears** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tears-vs-tetris)
- **tennis** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tennis-vs-tetris)

## Common misspellings (9)
`ettris`, `tertis`, `tetirs`, `tetriss`, `tetrris`, `tetrsi`, `tettris`, `tteris`, `ttetris`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/tetris