video game

/ˈvɪdiːəʊ̯ˌɡeɪm/

//ˈvɪdiːəʊ̯ˌɡeɪm// noun

"video-game" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“video game” is uncommon English (outside the top frequency list), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

Unranked
below top-frequency English
10
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - A type of game, existing as and controlled by software, usually run by a video game console or a computer, played on a monitor or television screen, and controlled by a joypad, joystick, keyboard, ...

Corpus desk

Index EN-video-game · video game · English

video game · unranked · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-UNRANKED Unranked
  • LEN-MEGA 10 letters
  • VOW-5 5 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-THIN "V" thin
  • PHOTO-UNK Peer pending

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Key facts for video game
PropertyValue
Headwordvideo game
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈvɪdiːəʊ̯ˌɡeɪm/
Letters10
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “video game” in English

video gameranks outside the top 100,000 English headwords, in the long tail of specialist, archaic, or seldom-used vocabulary, exactly the territory where a reader stops mid-sentence to double-check spelling.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

video game is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as anoun, transcribed /ˈvɪdiːəʊ̯ˌɡeɪm/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. Gloss: "A type of game, existing as and controlled by software, usually run by a video game console or a computer, played on a monitor or television screen, and controlled by a joypad, joystick, keyboard, ...".

No misspelling variants are generated for video game in our index, a sign its spelling follows regular English conventions. No confusable counterpart is on file for this word, a sign it's visually distinctive enough not to be mixed up with another word.

Etymologically, the entry records: From video + game. The correct English form is video game, spelled V-I-D-E-O- -G-A-M-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    A type of game, existing as and controlled by software, usually run by a video game console or a computer, played on a monitor or television screen, and controlled by a joypad, joystick, keyboard, mouse, touchscreen or paddle.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how video game appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. My uncle’s favorite video game is Minecraft.
  2. Swinging in the backyard / Pull up in your fast car whistling my name / Open up a beer / And you say get over here and play a video game / […] / I say you the bestest / Lean in for a big kiss, put his favorite perfume on / Go play your video game

Etymology

From video + game.

Synonyms

This word in other languages

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "video game"?
"video game" is spelled V-I-D-E-O- -G-A-M-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈvɪdiːəʊ̯ˌɡeɪm/.
What does "video game" mean?
As a noun, "video game" means: A type of game, existing as and controlled by software, usually run by a video game console or a computer, played on a monitor or television screen, and controlled by a joypad, joystick, keyboard, ...
How do you pronounce "video game"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "video game" is /ˈvɪdiːəʊ̯ˌɡeɪm/. 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 "video game"?
From video + game. 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.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list