-tion
/-ʃən/
"tion" is a 4-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“-tion” is uncommon English (outside the top frequency list), classed as a suffix. The kind of spelling people second-guess.
- Unranked
- below top-frequency English
- 5
- letters
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Used to form nouns meaning "the action of (a verb)" or "the result of (a verb)". Words ending in this suffix are almost always derived from a similar Latin word; a few (e.g. gumption) are not deriv...
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | -tion |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Suffix |
| IPA | /-ʃən/ |
| Letters | 5 |
| Misspellings tracked | 0 |
| Confusable pairs | 0 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Where “-tion” sits in English frequency
Rare enough to double-check
-tion is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as asuffix, transcribed /-ʃən/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. Gloss: "Used to form nouns meaning "the action of (a verb)" or "the result of (a verb)". Words ending in this suffix are almost always derived from a similar Latin word; a few (e.g. gumption) are not deriv...".
No generated misspelling entries exist for -tion in our index, typically a sign the spelling maps closely to how the word sounds. No confusable counterpart is on file for this word, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.
Etymologically, the entry records: From rebracketed Middle English -cioun, rebracketed borrowing of Old French -tion, -cion, borrowed from the stem of Latin -tiō. The Middle English -cioun became -tion in Modern English under the influence of the Middle French -tion and original Latin spelli… The correct English form is -tion, spelled --T-I-O-N.
Definition
- 1Used to form nouns meaning "the action of (a verb)" or "the result of (a verb)". Words ending in this suffix are almost always derived from a similar Latin word; a few (e.g. gumption) are not derived from Latin and are unrelated to any verb. More often, -ation is used.
Etymology
From rebracketed Middle English -cioun, rebracketed borrowing of Old French -tion, -cion, borrowed from the stem of Latin -tiō. The Middle English -cioun became -tion in Modern English under the influence of the Middle French -tion and original Latin spellings. Always -ate or t-final/te-final base + -ion.
This word in other languages
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.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you spell "-tion"?
What does "-tion" mean?
How do you pronounce "-tion"?
What is the origin of the word "-tion"?
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Using “-tion”
The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.
- The one correct English spelling is --T-I-O-N - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
- Say it as /-ʃən/ (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.