textual

/ˈtɛks.tju.əl/

//ˈtɛks.tju.əl// adj

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

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

The verdict

“textual” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #18,715 in English word frequency and used as an adjective.

#18,715
frequency rank, English
7
letters
10
tracked misspellings
1
confusable pair

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Of or pertaining to text.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

textual vs texture
71% similar

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

Key facts for textual
PropertyValue
Headwordtextual
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ˈtɛks.tju.əl/
Letters7
Frequency rank#18,715
Misspellings tracked10
Confusable pairs1
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “textual” 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). textual 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 textual is 7 letters long, classified as an adjective, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈtɛks.tju.əl/. Corpus data places it at rank #18,715 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 3 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 10 likely wrong-spelling variants for textual, with forms such as "etxtual", "tetxual", and "textaul". 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 1 confusable-pair relationship, "texture", since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English textewell, textueel, textuel, textuele, tixtuel (“learned in texts, bookish”), possibly from Latin textuālis; also compare Middle French textuele; or perhaps a coinage by Chaucer from Latin textus and Middle English -el. English spelling… The correct English form is textual, spelled T-E-X-T-U-A-L.

Definition

  1. 1
    Of or pertaining to text.
  2. 2
    Of or pertaining to text.
  3. 3
    Pertaining to text messages, by analogy with sexual: textual harassment, textual intercourse; compare sexting.

Etymology

From Middle English textewell, textueel, textuel, textuele, tixtuel (“learned in texts, bookish”), possibly from Latin textuālis; also compare Middle French textuele; or perhaps a coinage by Chaucer from Latin textus and Middle English -el. English spelling conformed to Latin from late 15c. By surface analysis, text + -ual.

This word in other languages

textual(Español)textuel(Français)textlich(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: etxtual,tetxual,textaul,texttual,textuall,textula,texutal,texxtual,ttextual,txetual

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

etxtual2tetxual2textaul2texttual1textuall1textula2texutal2texxtual1
Edit distance from "textual"

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 "textual"?
"textual" is spelled T-E-X-T-U-A-L. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈtɛks.tju.əl/.
What does "textual" mean?
As an adjective, "textual" means: Of or pertaining to text.
What words are commonly confused with "textual"?
"textual" is commonly confused with "texture". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "textual"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "textual" is /ˈtɛks.tju.əl/. 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 "textual"?
From Middle English textewell, textueel, textuel, textuele, tixtuel (“learned in texts, bookish”), possibly from Latin textuālis; also compare Middle French textuele; or perhaps a coinage by Chaucer from Latin textus and Middle English -el. Englis... 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 “textual”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is T-E-X-T-U-A-L - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈtɛks.tju.əl/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “texture” - see the side-by-side comparison. textual vs texture
  • 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