transitive

/ˈtɹænzɪtɪv/

//ˈtɹænzɪtɪv// adj

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

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

The verdict

“transitive” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #39,133 in English word frequency and used as an adjective.

#39,133
frequency rank, English
10
letters
15
tracked misspellings
1
confusable pair

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Making a transit or passage.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

transitive vs transition
80% similar

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

Key facts for transitive
PropertyValue
Headwordtransitive
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ˈtɹænzɪtɪv/
Letters10
Frequency rank#39,133
Misspellings tracked15
Confusable pairs1
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “transitive” 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). transitive 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 transitive is 10 letters long, classified as an adjective, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈtɹænzɪtɪv/. Corpus data places it at rank #39,133 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 7 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 15 likely wrong-spelling variants for transitive, with forms such as "rtansitive", "tarnsitive", and "tranistive". 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 1 confusable-pair relationship, "transition", a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Latin trānsitīvus, from trānsitus, from trāns (“across”) + itus, from eō (“to go”). The correct English form is transitive, spelled T-R-A-N-S-I-T-I-V-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    Making a transit or passage.
  2. 2
    Affected by transference of signification.
  3. 3
    Taking a direct object or objects.
  4. 4
    Having the property that if an element a is related to b and b is related to c, then a is necessarily related to c.
  5. 5
    Such that, for any two elements of the acted-upon set, some group element maps the first to the second.
  6. 6
    Such that, for any two vertices there exists an automorphism which maps one to the other.
  7. 7
    Of a set of dice: not having the intransitive property.

Etymology

From Latin trānsitīvus, from trānsitus, from trāns (“across”) + itus, from eō (“to go”).

This word in other languages

transitivo(Español)transitif(Français)transitiv(Deutsch)transitivo(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: rtansitive,tarnsitive,tranistive,trannsitive,transiitve,transitiev,transitivve,transittive,transitvie,transsitive,transtiive,trasnitive,trnasitive,trransitive,ttransitive

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of transitive - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

rtansitive2tarnsitive2tranistive2trannsitive1transiitve2transitiev2transitivve1transittive1
Edit distance from "transitive"

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 "transitive"?
"transitive" is spelled T-R-A-N-S-I-T-I-V-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈtɹænzɪtɪv/.
What does "transitive" mean?
As an adjective, "transitive" means: Making a transit or passage.
What words are commonly confused with "transitive"?
"transitive" is commonly confused with "transition". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "transitive"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "transitive" is /ˈtɹænzɪtɪv/. 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 "transitive"?
From Latin trānsitīvus, from trānsitus, from trāns (“across”) + itus, from eō (“to go”). 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 “transitive”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is T-R-A-N-S-I-T-I-V-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈtɹænzɪtɪv/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “transition” - see the side-by-side comparison. transitive vs transition
  • 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