tiptoe

/ˈtɪpˌtəʊ/

//ˈtɪpˌtəʊ// noun

"tiptoe" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“tiptoe” has 8 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #45,125. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#45,125
frequency rank, English
27,828
“T” headwords
8
tracked misspellings
3
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - The tip of the toe.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

tiptoe vs tito
67% similar
tiptoe vs title
67% similar
tiptoe vs tithe
67% similar

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

Key facts for tiptoe
PropertyValue
Headwordtiptoe
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈtɪpˌtəʊ/
Letters6
Frequency rank#45,125
Misspellings tracked8
Confusable pairs3
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “tiptoe” 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). tiptoe lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 8 spelling variants around tiptoe (IPA /ˈtɪpˌtəʊ/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #45,125 among 27,828 “T” headwords. Dominant gloss: "The tip of the toe.".

Our generated misspelling index lists 8 likely wrong-spelling variants for tiptoe, with forms such as "itptoe", "tipote", and "tipptoe". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 3 confusable-pair relationships, "tito", "title", "tithe", a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English tipto, typto; equivalent to tip + toe. Compare fingertip. The correct English form is tiptoe, spelled T-I-P-T-O-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    The tip of the toe.

Etymology

From Middle English tipto, typto; equivalent to tip + toe. Compare fingertip.

This word in other languages

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • itptoe
  • tipote
  • tipptoe
  • tipteo
  • tipttoe
  • titpoe
  • tpitoe
  • ttiptoe

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

itptoe2tipote2tipptoe1tipteo2tipttoe1titpoe2tpitoe2ttiptoe1
Edit distance from "tiptoe"

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 "tiptoe"?
"tiptoe" is spelled T-I-P-T-O-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈtɪpˌtəʊ/.
What does "tiptoe" mean?
As a noun, "tiptoe" means: The tip of the toe.
What words are commonly confused with "tiptoe"?
"tiptoe" is commonly confused with "tito", "title", "tithe". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "tiptoe"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "tiptoe" is /ˈtɪpˌtəʊ/. 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 "tiptoe"?
From Middle English tipto, typto; equivalent to tip + toe. Compare fingertip. 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 “tiptoe”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is T-I-P-T-O-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈtɪpˌtəʊ/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “tito” - see the side-by-side comparison. tiptoe vs tito
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words

Same frequency band

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