that is to say
"that-is-to-say" is a 11-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“that is to say” is uncommon English (outside the top frequency list), classed as an adverb. The kind of spelling people second-guess.
- Unranked
- below top-frequency English
- 14
- letters
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - In other words. Used to introduce a clarification, simplification, or explanation
Corpus desk
Index EN-that-is-to-say · that is to say · English
that is to say · unranked · 0 variants · 0 confusables
- FREQ-UNRANKED Unranked
- LEN-MEGA 14 letters
- VOW-5 5 vowels
- CONFUS-0 No pairs
- VAR-0 0 variants
- BOOK-THIN "T" thin
- PHOTO-UNK Peer pending
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.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | that is to say |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Adverb |
| Letters | 14 |
| Misspellings tracked | 0 |
| Confusable pairs | 0 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Long-tail rank of “that is to say” in English
Rare enough to double-check
that is to say is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as anadverb. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. Gloss: "In other words. Used to introduce a clarification, simplification, or explanation".
Our edit-distance generator produced no likely misspellings for that is to say, since its letter sequence doesn't invite the usual edit-distance slips. We don't track a confusable pairing for this entry, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.
Etymologically, the entry records: Calque of French c'est-à-dire. The correct English form is that is to say, spelled T-H-A-T- -I-S- -T-O- -S-A-Y.
Definition
- 1In other words. Used to introduce a clarification, simplification, or explanation
Recorded use
Wiktionary exampleThese source excerpts show how that is to say appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.
One of the best things about works of music is that they are repeatable, that is to say that one can listen to the same work over and over without becoming tired of it.
Etymology
Calque of French c'est-à-dire.
Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.