utter

Name: utter, English Word Data
Creator: Wiktionary
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

/ˈʌtə/

//ˈʌtə// adj

By PlainSpell Editorial Team · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) · analyzed May 6, 2026

The verdict

“utter” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #9,003 in English word frequency and used as an adjective.

#9,003
frequency rank, English: 5
letters: 5
tracked misspellings: 10
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To the furthest or most extreme extent; absolute, complete, total, unconditional.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

utter vs utterly

71% similar

utter vs uttered

71% similar

utter vs ute

60% similar

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

Key facts for utter
Property	Value
Headword	utter
Language	English
Part of speech	Adjective
IPA	/ˈʌtə/
Letters	5
Frequency rank	#9,003
Misspellings tracked	5
Confusable pairs	10
Source	Wiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “utter” 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). utter lands here:

#9,003

#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 utter is 5 letters long, classified as an adjective, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈʌtə/. Corpus data places it at rank #9,003 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 6 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 5 likely wrong-spelling variants for utter, with forms such as "tuter", "uter", and "utetr". 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 10 confusable-pair relationships, "utterly", "uttered", "ute", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: PIE word *úd The adjective is derived from Middle English outre, utter, uttre (“situated on the outside of, exterior”), from Old English ūtera (“exterior, outer”, literally “more out”), the comparative form of ūt (“out”). Piecewise doublet of outer. The no… The correct English form is utter, spelled U-T-T-E-R.

Definition

1
To the furthest or most extreme extent; absolute, complete, total, unconditional.
2
Of a substance: pure, unmixed.
3
Of decisions, replies, etc.: made in an unconditional or unqualified manner; decisive, definite.
4
Further out than another thing; being the exterior or outer part of something; outer, outward; also, extremely remote.
5
Preceding all others; original.
6
Succeeding all others; final, last, ultimate.

Etymology

PIE word *úd The adjective is derived from Middle English outre, utter, uttre (“situated on the outside of, exterior”), from Old English ūtera (“exterior, outer”, literally “more out”), the comparative form of ūt (“out”). Piecewise doublet of outer. The noun is derived from the adjective.

This word in other languages

absoluto(Español)absolu(Français)total(Deutsch)completo(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: tuter,uter,utetr,utterr,uttre

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

Edit distance from "utter"

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 "utter"?

"utter" is spelled U-T-T-E-R. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈʌtə/.

What does "utter" mean?

As an adjective, "utter" means: To the furthest or most extreme extent; absolute, complete, total, unconditional.

What words are commonly confused with "utter"?

"utter" is commonly confused with "utterly", "uttered", "ute". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.

How do you pronounce "utter"?

The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "utter" is /ˈʌtə/. 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 "utter"?

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 “utter”

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

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