tithing

/ˈtaɪðɪŋ/

//ˈtaɪðɪŋ// noun

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

The verdict

“tithing” is an uncommon English word, ranked #56,490 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#56,490
frequency rank, English
7
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A tithe or tenth in its various senses, (particularly):

Key facts for tithing
PropertyValue
Headwordtithing
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈtaɪðɪŋ/
Letters7
Frequency rank#56,490
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “tithing” 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). tithing 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 tithing is 7 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈtaɪðɪŋ/. Corpus data places it at rank #56,490 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 6 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for tithing, since its letter pattern doesn't lend itself to common typo substitutions. No close-neighbour confusable shows up for this headword in our dataset, which tends to mean the word is visually distinctive enough to stand on its own.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English tithyng, from Old English tēoþung or tēoðung, from tēoða (“a tithe”) + -ing (suffix forming patronymics and diminutives) and tēoþian (“to tithe”) + -ung (suffix forming verbal nouns). Equivalent to tithe + -ing. The correct English form is tithing, spelled T-I-T-H-I-N-G.

Definition

  1. 1
    A tithe or tenth in its various senses, (particularly):
  2. 2
    A tithe or tenth in its various senses, (particularly):
  3. 3
    A tithe or tenth in its various senses, (particularly):
  4. 4
    Ten sheaves of wheat (originally set up as such for the tithe proctor).
  5. 5
    A body of households (originally a tenth of a hundred or ten households) bound by frankpledge to collective responsibility and punishment for each other's behavior.
  6. 6
    A part of the hundred as a rural division of territory.

Etymology

From Middle English tithyng, from Old English tēoþung or tēoðung, from tēoða (“a tithe”) + -ing (suffix forming patronymics and diminutives) and tēoþian (“to tithe”) + -ung (suffix forming verbal nouns). Equivalent to tithe + -ing.

Synonyms

tenth and tithedecenarydecimefrankpledgefribourg

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 "tithing"?
"tithing" is spelled T-I-T-H-I-N-G. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈtaɪðɪŋ/.
What does "tithing" mean?
As a noun, "tithing" means: A tithe or tenth in its various senses, (particularly):
How do you pronounce "tithing"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "tithing" is /ˈtaɪðɪŋ/. 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 "tithing"?
From Middle English tithyng, from Old English tēoþung or tēoðung, from tēoða (“a tithe”) + -ing (suffix forming patronymics and diminutives) and tēoþian (“to tithe”) + -ung (suffix forming verbal nouns). Equivalent to tithe + -ing. 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 “tithing”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is T-I-T-H-I-N-G - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈtaɪðɪŋ/ (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