weight

/weɪt/

//weɪt// noun

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

"weight" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“weight” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #1,036 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#1,036
frequency rank, English
6
letters
9
tracked misspellings
9
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - The downwards force an object experiences due to gravity.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

weight vs wight
83% similar
weight vs wright
83% similar
weight vs weights
86% similar

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

Key facts for weight
PropertyValue
Headwordweight
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/weɪt/
Letters6
Frequency rank#1,036
Misspellings tracked9
Confusable pairs9
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “weight” 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). weight 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 weight is 6 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /weɪt/. Corpus data places it at rank #1,036 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 24 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 9 likely wrong-spelling variants for weight, with forms such as "ewight", "wegiht", and "weigght". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. It also participates in 9 confusable-pair relationships, "wight", "wright", "weights", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English weight, weiȝte, weght, wight, from Old English wiht, ġewiht (“weight”), from Proto-Germanic *wihtiz ("weight"; compare *weganą (“to move”)), from Proto-Indo-European *weǵʰ- (“to move; pull; draw; drive”). Equivalent to weigh + -t (abstra… The correct English form is weight, spelled W-E-I-G-H-T.

Definition

  1. 1
    The downwards force an object experiences due to gravity.
  2. 2
    An object used to make something heavier.
  3. 3
    A standardized block of metal used in a balance to measure the mass of another object.
  4. 4
    Importance or influence.
  5. 5
    An object, such as a weight plate or barbell, used for strength training.
  6. 6
    An object, such as a weight plate or barbell, used for strength training.
  7. 7
    Viscosity rating.
  8. 8
    Mass (atomic weight, molecular weight, etc.) (in restricted circumstances).
  9. 9
    Synonym of mass (in general circumstances).
  10. 10
    Mass (net weight, troy weight, carat weight, etc.).
  11. 11
    A variable which multiplies a value for ease of statistical manipulation.
  12. 12
    The smallest cardinality of a base.
  13. 13
    The boldness of a font; the relative thickness of its strokes.
  14. 14
    The relative thickness of a drawn rule or painted brushstroke, line weight.
  15. 15
    The illusion of mass.
  16. 16
    The thickness and opacity of paint.
  17. 17
    The thickness of yarn.
  18. 18
    Pressure; burden.
  19. 19
    The resistance against which a machine acts, as opposed to the power which moves it.
  20. 20
    Shipments of (often illegal) drugs.
  21. 21
    One pound of drugs, especially cannabis.
  22. 22
    Money.
  23. 23
    Weight class
  24. 24
    Emphasis applied to a given criterion.

Etymology

From Middle English weight, weiȝte, weght, wight, from Old English wiht, ġewiht (“weight”), from Proto-Germanic *wihtiz ("weight"; compare *weganą (“to move”)), from Proto-Indo-European *weǵʰ- (“to move; pull; draw; drive”). Equivalent to weigh + -t (abstract nominal suffix). Cognate with Scots wecht, weicht (“weight”), Saterland Frisian Wächte (“scale”), Gewicht (“weight”), West Frisian gewicht (“weight”), Dutch gewicht (“weight”), German Low German Wicht, Gewicht (“weight”), German Wucht (“massiveness, force”), Gewicht (“weight”).

This word in other languages

peso(Español)poids(Français)Gewicht(Deutsch)haltere(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: ewight,wegiht,weigght,weighht,weightt,weigth,weihgt,wieght,wweight

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

ewight2wegiht2weigght1weighht1weightt1weigth2weihgt2wieght2
Edit distance from "weight"

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 "weight"?
"weight" is spelled W-E-I-G-H-T. The IPA pronunciation is /weɪt/.
What does "weight" mean?
As a noun, "weight" means: The downwards force an object experiences due to gravity.
What words are commonly confused with "weight"?
"weight" is commonly confused with "wight", "wright", "weights". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "weight"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "weight" is /weɪt/. 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 "weight"?
From Middle English weight, weiȝte, weght, wight, from Old English wiht, ġewiht (“weight”), from Proto-Germanic *wihtiz ("weight"; compare *weganą (“to move”)), from Proto-Indo-European *weǵʰ- (“to move; pull; draw; drive”). Equivalent to weigh + ... 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 “weight”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is W-E-I-G-H-T - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /weɪt/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “wight” - see the side-by-side comparison. weight vs wight
  • 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