transformation
/ˌtɹæns.fə(ɹ)ˈmeɪ.ʃən/
"transformation" is a 14-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“transformation” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #5,093 in English word frequency and used as a noun.
- #5,093
- frequency rank, English
- 14
- letters
- 23
- tracked misspellings
- 3
- confusable pairs
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - The act of transforming or the state of being transformed.
Visual similarity to commonly confused words
How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).
Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | transformation |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Noun |
| IPA | /ˌtɹæns.fə(ɹ)ˈmeɪ.ʃən/ |
| Letters | 14 |
| Frequency rank | #5,093 |
| Misspellings tracked | 23 |
| Confusable pairs | 3 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Where “transformation” sits in English frequency
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
The English entry for transformation is 14 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˌtɹæns.fə(ɹ)ˈmeɪ.ʃən/. Corpus data places it at rank #5,093 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 7 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.
Our generated misspelling index lists 23 likely wrong-spelling variants for transformation, with forms such as "rtansformation", "tarnsformation", and "tranfsormation". 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, "transportation", "transformative", "transformational", since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.
Etymologically, the entry records: Inherited from Middle English transformacioun, from Middle French, from Ecclesiastical Latin trānsfōrmātiō. Morphologically transform + -ation. The correct English form is transformation, spelled T-R-A-N-S-F-O-R-M-A-T-I-O-N.
Definition
- 1The act of transforming or the state of being transformed.
- 2A marked change in appearance or character, especially one for the better.
- 3The replacement of the variables in an algebraic expression by their values in terms of another set of variables; a mapping of one space onto another or onto itself; a function that changes the position or direction of the axes of a coordinate system.
- 4A rule that systematically converts one syntactic form into another; a sentence derived by such a rule.
- 5The alteration of a bacterial cell caused by the transfer of DNA from another, especially if pathogenic.
- 6The transition from the apartheid era to a multiracial democracy in South Africa.
- 7A woman's wig.
Etymology
Inherited from Middle English transformacioun, from Middle French, from Ecclesiastical Latin trānsfōrmātiō. Morphologically transform + -ation.
This word in other languages
Common misspellings
Also misspelled as: rtansformation,tarnsformation,tranfsormation,trannsformation,transfformation,transfomration,transforamtion,transformaiton,transformasion,transformatino,transformationn,transformatoin,transformattion,transformmation,transformtaion,transforrmation,transfromation,transofrmation,transsformation,trasnformation,trnasformation,trransformation,ttransformation
Misspelling Pattern Breakdown
How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of transformation - 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.
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 "transformation"?
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Using “transformation”
The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.
- The one correct English spelling is T-R-A-N-S-F-O-R-M-A-T-I-O-N - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
- Say it as /ˌtɹæns.fə(ɹ)ˈmeɪ.ʃən/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
- Don't mix it up with “transportation” - see the side-by-side comparison. transformation vs transportation
- 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.