transposition

noun

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

"transposition" is a 13-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“transposition” is an uncommon English word, ranked #50,852 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#50,852
frequency rank, English
13
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - The act or process of transposing or interchanging.

Key facts for transposition
PropertyValue
Headwordtransposition
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
Letters13
Frequency rank#50,852
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “transposition” 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). transposition 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 transposition is 13 letters long, classified as a noun. Corpus data places it at rank #50,852 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 4 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for transposition, since its letter sequence doesn't invite the usual edit-distance slips. This entry stands alone in our confusable dataset, since its spelling is unusual enough that it doesn't cluster with a lookalike.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle French transposition, from Medieval Latin transpositio. The correct English form is transposition, spelled T-R-A-N-S-P-O-S-I-T-I-O-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    The act or process of transposing or interchanging.
  2. 2
    A shift of a piece of music to a different musical key by adjusting all the notes of the work equally either up or down in pitch.
  3. 3
    A sequence of moves resulting in a position that may also be reached by another, more common sequence.
  4. 4
    An incorporation of the provisions of a European Union directive into a Member State's domestic law.

Etymology

From Middle French transposition, from Medieval Latin transpositio.

This word in other languages

transposición(Español)transposition(Français)Transposition(Deutsch)

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 "transposition"?
"transposition" is spelled T-R-A-N-S-P-O-S-I-T-I-O-N.
What does "transposition" mean?
As a noun, "transposition" means: The act or process of transposing or interchanging.
What is the origin of the word "transposition"?
From Middle French transposition, from Medieval Latin transpositio. 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 “transposition”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is T-R-A-N-S-P-O-S-I-T-I-O-N - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • 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