valid

/ˈvælɪd/

//ˈvælɪd// adj

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

"valid" is a 5-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“valid” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #3,792 in English word frequency and used as an adjective.

#3,792
frequency rank, English
5
letters
7
tracked misspellings
17
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Well-grounded or justifiable, pertinent.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

valid vs vid
60% similar
valid vs void
60% similar
valid vs Vlad
40% similar

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

Key facts for valid
PropertyValue
Headwordvalid
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ˈvælɪd/
Letters5
Frequency rank#3,792
Misspellings tracked7
Confusable pairs17
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “valid” 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). valid 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 valid is 5 letters long, classified as an adjective, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈvælɪd/. Corpus data places it at rank #3,792 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 7 likely wrong-spelling variants for valid, with forms such as "avlid", "vaild", and "valdi". 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 17 confusable-pair relationships, "vid", "void", "Vlad", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowed from Middle French valide (“healthy, sound, in good order”), from Latin validus, from valeō (“to be strong, to be healthy, to be worth”) + -idus, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂welh₁- (“be strong”). The correct English form is valid, spelled V-A-L-I-D.

Definition

  1. 1
    Well-grounded or justifiable, pertinent.
  2. 2
    Acceptable, proper or correct; in accordance with the rules.
  3. 3
    Related to the current topic, or presented within context, relevant.
  4. 4
    Of a formula or system: such that it evaluates to true regardless of the input values.
  5. 5
    Of an argument: whose conclusion is always true whenever its premises are true.
  6. 6
    Genuine - as distinguished from efficient or regular - sacrament.

Etymology

Borrowed from Middle French valide (“healthy, sound, in good order”), from Latin validus, from valeō (“to be strong, to be healthy, to be worth”) + -idus, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂welh₁- (“be strong”).

Synonyms

acceptableallowablelegitlegitimatelevefullicitpermissibletruevalid

Antonyms

invalidnonvaliddisallowedillegitimateillicitnonstandardnudenull and voidunvalid

This word in other languages

válido(Español)valide(Français)gültig(Deutsch)válido(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: avlid,vaild,valdi,validd,vallid,vlaid,vvalid

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

avlid2vaild2valdi2validd1vallid1vlaid2vvalid1
Edit distance from "valid"

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 "valid"?
"valid" is spelled V-A-L-I-D. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈvælɪd/.
What does "valid" mean?
As an adjective, "valid" means: Well-grounded or justifiable, pertinent.
What words are commonly confused with "valid"?
"valid" is commonly confused with "vid", "void", "Vlad". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "valid"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "valid" is /ˈvælɪd/. 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 "valid"?
Borrowed from Middle French valide (“healthy, sound, in good order”), from Latin validus, from valeō (“to be strong, to be healthy, to be worth”) + -idus, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂welh₁- (“be strong”). 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 “valid”

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

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