variability

/ˌvɛəɹ.i.əˈbɪl.ə.ti/

//ˌvɛəɹ.i.əˈbɪl.ə.ti// noun

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

"variability" is a 11-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“variability” has 16 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #17,744. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#17,744
frequency rank, English
7,391
“V” headwords
16
tracked misspellings
1
confusable pair

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - The state or characteristic of being variable.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

variability vs viability
82% similar

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

Key facts for variability
PropertyValue
Headwordvariability
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˌvɛəɹ.i.əˈbɪl.ə.ti/
Letters11
Frequency rank#17,744
Misspellings tracked16
Confusable pairs1
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “variability” 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). variability lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 16 spelling variants around variability (IPA /ˌvɛəɹ.i.əˈbɪl.ə.ti/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #17,744 among 7,391 “V” headwords. Wiktionary lists 2 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 16 likely wrong-spelling variants for variability, with forms such as "avriability", "vairability", and "varaibility". 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, "viability", a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: Derived form of variable, from Old French variable; see variable + -ity. The correct English form is variability, spelled V-A-R-I-A-B-I-L-I-T-Y.

Definition

  1. 1
    The state or characteristic of being variable.
  2. 2
    The degree to which a thing is variable. In data or statistics this is often a measurement of distance from the mean or a description of data range.

Etymology

Derived form of variable, from Old French variable; see variable + -ity.

Synonyms

variableness

This word in other languages

variabilidad(Español)variabilité(Français)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • avriability
  • vairability
  • varaibility
  • variabbility
  • variabiilty
  • variabilitty
  • variabilityy
  • variabiliyt
  • variabillity
  • variabiltiy
  • variabliity
  • variaiblity
  • varibaility
  • varriability
  • vraiability
  • vvariability

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

avriability2vairability2varaibility2variabbility1variabiilty2variabilitty1variabilityy1variabiliyt2
Edit distance from "variability"

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 "variability"?
"variability" is spelled V-A-R-I-A-B-I-L-I-T-Y. The IPA pronunciation is /ˌvɛəɹ.i.əˈbɪl.ə.ti/.
What does "variability" mean?
As a noun, "variability" means: The state or characteristic of being variable.
What words are commonly confused with "variability"?
"variability" is commonly confused with "viability". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "variability"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "variability" is /ˌvɛəɹ.i.əˈbɪl.ə.ti/. 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 "variability"?
Derived form of variable, from Old French variable; see variable + -ity. 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 “variability”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is V-A-R-I-A-B-I-L-I-T-Y - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˌvɛəɹ.i.əˈbɪl.ə.ti/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “viability” - see the side-by-side comparison. variability vs viability
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words

Same frequency band

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