vigil

/ˈvɪd͡ʒəl/

//ˈvɪd͡ʒəl// noun

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

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

The verdict

“vigil” has 7 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #21,407. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#21,407
frequency rank, English
969
“V” headwords
7
tracked misspellings
13
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - An instance of keeping awake during normal sleeping hours, especially to keep watch or pray.

Corpus desk

Index EN-vigil · vigil · English

vigil · rank #21,407 · 7 variants · 13 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #21,407
  • LEN-MID 5 letters
  • VOW-2 2 vowels
  • CONFUS-MID 13 pairs
  • VAR-MID 7 variants
  • BOOK-MID 969
  • PHOTO-FINISH Viagra

Nearest frequency peer: Viagra (-1 rank slots)

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.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “vigil”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “vigil” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

vigil vs Vigo
40% similar
vigil vs visit
60% similar
vigil vs vital
60% similar

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

Key facts for vigil
PropertyValue
Headwordvigil
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈvɪd͡ʒəl/
Letters5
Frequency rank#21,407
Misspellings tracked7
Confusable pairs13
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “vigil”

This scale runs from the tiny cluster of words that carry ordinary speech (left) to the long tail of words almost nobody reaches for (right).vigillands here:

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

Ticks step logarithmically, so each one marks a roughly tenfold drop in how often the word turns up. Same rarity band neighbours include “Viagra” (#21,406), “voicing” (#21,408), “V6” (#21,405). Among 969 “V” headwords, “vigil” is #21,407. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 7 spelling variants around vigil (IPA /ˈvɪd͡ʒəl/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #21,407 among 969 “V” headwords. Wiktionary lists 4 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 7 likely wrong-spelling variants for vigil, with forms such as "ivgil", "vgiil", and "viggil". 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 13 confusable-pair relationships, "Vigo", "visit", "vital", and more, since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English vigile (“a devotional watching”), from Old French vigile, from Latin vigilia (“wakefulness, watch”), from vigil (“awake”), from Proto-Indo-European *weǵ- (“to be strong, lively, awake”). Doublet of Wigilia. See also wake and vigor, from … The correct English form is vigil, spelled V-I-G-I-L.

Definition

  1. 1
    An instance of keeping awake during normal sleeping hours, especially to keep watch or pray.
  2. 2
    A period of observation or surveillance at any hour.
  3. 3
    The eve of a religious festival in which staying awake is part of the ritual devotions.
  4. 4
    A quiet demonstration in support of a cause.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. I saw her head drooped upon her hand; her whole attitude expressing that profound depression, whose lonely vigil wastes the midnight in a gloomy watch, which yet hopes for nothing at its close.
  2. Eventually the body trade grew so reckless that relatives took to holding graveside vigils, lest their loved ones disappear in the night.

Etymology

From Middle English vigile (“a devotional watching”), from Old French vigile, from Latin vigilia (“wakefulness, watch”), from vigil (“awake”), from Proto-Indo-European *weǵ- (“to be strong, lively, awake”). Doublet of Wigilia. See also wake and vigor, from the same root.

Synonyms

lookoutlook-outqui vivewatch

This word in other languages

vigilia(Español)veille(Français)Wache(Deutsch)vigília(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • ivgil
  • vgiil
  • viggil
  • vigill
  • vigli
  • viigl
  • vvigil

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

ivgil2vgiil2viggil1vigill1vigli2viigl2vvigil1
Edit distance from "vigil"

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 "vigil"?
"vigil" is spelled V-I-G-I-L. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈvɪd͡ʒəl/.
What does "vigil" mean?
As a noun, "vigil" means: An instance of keeping awake during normal sleeping hours, especially to keep watch or pray.
What words are commonly confused with "vigil"?
"vigil" is commonly confused with "Vigo", "visit", "vital". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "vigil"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "vigil" is /ˈvɪd͡ʒəl/. 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 "vigil"?
From Middle English vigile (“a devotional watching”), from Old French vigile, from Latin vigilia (“wakefulness, watch”), from vigil (“awake”), from Proto-Indo-European *weǵ- (“to be strong, lively, awake”). Doublet of Wigilia. See also wake and vi... 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.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "vigil", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 5 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

waive#21,411Weibo#21,417Alain#21,436annum#21,439

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (7 here; floor ≥5).

volley7 variantsWallis7 variantsSoros7 variantsbudge7 variants

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list