transistor

/tɹænˈzɪs.tɚ/

//tɹænˈzɪs.tɚ// noun

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

"transistor" is a 10-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“transistor” has 16 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #22,251. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#22,251
frequency rank, English
3,151
“T” headwords
16
tracked misspellings
2
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - A solid-state semiconductor device, with three terminals, which can be used for amplification, switching, voltage stabilization, signal modulation, and many other functions.

Corpus desk

Index EN-transistor · transistor · English

transistor · rank #22,251 · 16 variants · 2 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #22,251
  • LEN-MEGA 10 letters
  • VOW-3 3 vowels
  • CONFUS-LOW 2 pairs
  • VAR-HIGH 16 variants
  • BOOK-MID 3,151
  • PHOTO-FINISH tramp

Nearest frequency peer: tramp (-1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “transistor”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “transistor” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

transistor vs translator
80% similar
transistor vs transitory
80% similar

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

Key facts for transistor
PropertyValue
Headwordtransistor
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/tɹænˈzɪs.tɚ/
Letters10
Frequency rank#22,251
Misspellings tracked16
Confusable pairs2
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “transistor”

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right).transistorlands here:

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

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Same rarity band neighbours include “tramp” (#22,250), “translucent” (#22,252), “totalitarian” (#22,249). Among 3,151 “T” headwords, “transistor” is #22,251. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 16 spelling variants around transistor (IPA /tɹænˈzɪs.tɚ/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #22,251 among 3,151 “T” headwords. Wiktionary lists 2 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 16 likely wrong-spelling variants for transistor, with forms such as "rtansistor", "tarnsistor", and "tranisstor". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 2 confusable-pair relationships, "translator", "transitory", a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: Blend of transfer + resistor. Said to have been coined by American engineer John Robinson Pierce in 1947, who used transresistance as the basis for forming transistor. The correct English form is transistor, spelled T-R-A-N-S-I-S-T-O-R.

Definition

  1. 1
    A solid-state semiconductor device, with three terminals, which can be used for amplification, switching, voltage stabilization, signal modulation, and many other functions.
  2. 2
    A transistor radio.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how transistor appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. Switches and transistors control the flow of electricity like valves and faucets control water. Resistors limit the flow of electricity. […] Light is transmitted from the color LED, through the fiber optic cable, to control the NPN transistor (Q2) and red LED (D1).
  2. Turn your transistor on and let the music play

Etymology

Blend of transfer + resistor. Said to have been coined by American engineer John Robinson Pierce in 1947, who used transresistance as the basis for forming transistor.

This word in other languages

transistor(Español)transistor(Français)Transistor(Deutsch)transístor(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • rtansistor
  • tarnsistor
  • tranisstor
  • trannsistor
  • transisotr
  • transisstor
  • transistorr
  • transistro
  • transisttor
  • transitsor
  • transsistor
  • transsitor
  • trasnistor
  • trnasistor
  • trransistor
  • ttransistor

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

rtansistor2tarnsistor2tranisstor2trannsistor1transisotr2transisstor1transistorr1transistro2
Edit distance from "transistor"

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 "transistor"?
"transistor" is spelled T-R-A-N-S-I-S-T-O-R. The IPA pronunciation is /tɹænˈzɪs.tɚ/.
What does "transistor" mean?
As a noun, "transistor" means: A solid-state semiconductor device, with three terminals, which can be used for amplification, switching, voltage stabilization, signal modulation, and many other functions.
What words are commonly confused with "transistor"?
"transistor" is commonly confused with "translator", "transitory". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "transistor"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "transistor" is /tɹænˈzɪs.tɚ/. 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 "transistor"?
Blend of transfer + resistor. Said to have been coined by American engineer John Robinson Pierce in 1947, who used transresistance as the basis for forming transistor. 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.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "transistor", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 10 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

unbalanced#22,256uniqueness#22,259suggestive#22,234subversive#22,232

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (16 here; floor ≥5).

suitability16 variantsSchumacher16 variantscauliflower16 variantsconformity16 variants

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list