tilde

/ˈtɪldə/

//ˈtɪldə// noun

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

"tilde" is a 5-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“tilde” is an uncommon English word, ranked #76,400 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#76,400
frequency rank, English
5
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A diacritical mark ⟨˜⟩ placed above a letter to modify its pronunciation.

Key facts for tilde
PropertyValue
Headwordtilde
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈtɪldə/
Letters5
Frequency rank#76,400
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “tilde” 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). tilde 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 tilde is 5 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈtɪldə/. Corpus data places it at rank #76,400 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 10 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

The misspelling generator found no plausible variants for tilde, since its letter pattern doesn't lend itself to common typo substitutions. No confusable counterpart is on file for this word, suggesting its spelling stands apart enough that readers rarely confuse it with something else.

Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowed from Spanish tilde, from Latin titulus (“superscript”) or from tildar. Doublet of titer/titre, title, titlo, tittle, and titulus. Compare Portuguese til. The correct English form is tilde, spelled T-I-L-D-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    A diacritical mark ⟨˜⟩ placed above a letter to modify its pronunciation.
  2. 2
    A diacritical mark ⟨˜⟩ placed above a letter to modify its pronunciation.
  3. 3
    A diacritical mark ⟨˜⟩ placed above a letter to modify its pronunciation.
  4. 4
    A diacritical mark ⟨˜⟩ placed above a letter to modify its pronunciation.
  5. 5
    A symbol ⟨~⟩, with various names and uses, also known as swung dash or wave dash. In the computer industry, various other names may be used, such as squiggle and twiddle.
  6. 6
    A symbol ⟨~⟩, with various names and uses, also known as swung dash or wave dash. In the computer industry, various other names may be used, such as squiggle and twiddle.
  7. 7
    A symbol ⟨~⟩, with various names and uses, also known as swung dash or wave dash. In the computer industry, various other names may be used, such as squiggle and twiddle.
  8. 8
    A symbol ⟨~⟩, with various names and uses, also known as swung dash or wave dash. In the computer industry, various other names may be used, such as squiggle and twiddle.
  9. 9
    A symbol ⟨~⟩, with various names and uses, also known as swung dash or wave dash. In the computer industry, various other names may be used, such as squiggle and twiddle.
  10. 10
    A symbol ⟨~⟩, with various names and uses, also known as swung dash or wave dash. In the computer industry, various other names may be used, such as squiggle and twiddle.

Etymology

Borrowed from Spanish tilde, from Latin titulus (“superscript”) or from tildar. Doublet of titer/titre, title, titlo, tittle, and titulus. Compare Portuguese til.

This word in other languages

tilde(Español)tilde(Français)Schlangenlinie(Deutsch)til(Português)

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 "tilde"?
"tilde" is spelled T-I-L-D-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈtɪldə/.
What does "tilde" mean?
As a noun, "tilde" means: A diacritical mark ⟨˜⟩ placed above a letter to modify its pronunciation.
How do you pronounce "tilde"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "tilde" is /ˈtɪldə/. 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 "tilde"?
Borrowed from Spanish tilde, from Latin titulus (“superscript”) or from tildar. Doublet of titer/titre, title, titlo, tittle, and titulus. Compare Portuguese til. 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 “tilde”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is T-I-L-D-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈtɪldə/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • 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