unique

/juːˈniːk/

//juːˈniːk// adj

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

"unique" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“unique” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #1,845 in English word frequency and used as an adjective.

#1,845
frequency rank, English
6
letters
7
tracked misspellings
4
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Being the only one of its kind; unequaled, unparalleled or unmatched.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

unique vs unite
67% similar
unique vs untrue
67% similar
unique vs uniquely
75% similar

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

Key facts for unique
PropertyValue
Headwordunique
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/juːˈniːk/
Letters6
Frequency rank#1,845
Misspellings tracked7
Confusable pairs4
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “unique” 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). unique 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 unique is 6 letters long, classified as an adjective, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /juːˈniːk/. Corpus data places it at rank #1,845 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 4 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 7 likely wrong-spelling variants for unique, with forms such as "nuique", "uinque", and "uniqeu". 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 4 confusable-pair relationships, "unite", "untrue", "uniquely", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowed from French unique. Piecewise doublet of any. The correct English form is unique, spelled U-N-I-Q-U-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    Being the only one of its kind; unequaled, unparalleled or unmatched.
  2. 2
    Of a feature, such that only one holder has it.
  3. 3
    Particular, characteristic.
  4. 4
    Rare or unusual.

Etymology

Borrowed from French unique. Piecewise doublet of any.

Synonyms

aloneazygousincomparablematchlessnonpareilpeerlesssingularsui generisunequaleduniqueunparalleledunmatchedunrivalled

Antonyms

commonnormal

This word in other languages

único(Español)unique(Français)einzigartig(Deutsch)único(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: nuique,uinque,uniqeu,uniqque,uniuqe,unnique,unqiue

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of unique - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

nuique2uinque2uniqeu2uniqque1uniuqe2unnique1unqiue2
Edit distance from "unique"

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 "unique"?
"unique" is spelled U-N-I-Q-U-E. The IPA pronunciation is /juːˈniːk/.
What does "unique" mean?
As an adjective, "unique" means: Being the only one of its kind; unequaled, unparalleled or unmatched.
What words are commonly confused with "unique"?
"unique" is commonly confused with "unite", "untrue", "uniquely". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "unique"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "unique" is /juːˈniːk/. 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 "unique"?
Borrowed from French unique. Piecewise doublet of any. 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 “unique”

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

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