wisdom

/ˈwɪzdəm/

//ˈwɪzdəm// noun

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

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

The verdict

“wisdom” has 9 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #4,345. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#4,345
frequency rank, English
1,759
“W” headwords
9
tracked misspellings
2
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - An element of personal character that enables one to distinguish the wise from the unwise.

Corpus desk

Index EN-wisdom · wisdom · English

wisdom · rank #4,345 · 9 variants · 2 confusables

  • FREQ-COMMON #4,345
  • LEN-LONG 6 letters
  • VOW-2 2 vowels
  • CONFUS-LOW 2 pairs
  • VAR-MID 9 variants
  • BOOK-MID 1,759
  • PHOTO-FINISH warriors

Nearest frequency peer: warriors (-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 “wisdom”

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

corpus weight

What this shows “wisdom” 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).

wisdom vs widow
67% similar
wisdom vs window
67% similar

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

Key facts for wisdom
PropertyValue
Headwordwisdom
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈwɪzdəm/
Letters6
Frequency rank#4,345
Misspellings tracked9
Confusable pairs2
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “wisdom”

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right).wisdomlands here:

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

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Same rarity band neighbours include “warriors” (#4,344), “accounting” (#4,346), “visits” (#4,343). Among 1,759 “W” headwords, “wisdom” is #4,345. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 9 spelling variants around wisdom (IPA /ˈwɪzdəm/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #4,345 among 1,759 “W” headwords. Wiktionary lists 9 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 9 likely wrong-spelling variants for wisdom, with forms such as "iwsdom", "widsom", and "wisddom". 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 2 confusable-pair relationships, "widow", "window", since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English wisdom, from Old English wīsdōm (“wisdom”), from Proto-West Germanic *wīsadōm, from Proto-Germanic *wīsadōmaz (“wisdom”), corresponding to wise + -dom. Cognate with Scots wisdom, wysdom (“wisdom”), West Frisian wiisdom (“wisdom”), Dutch … The correct English form is wisdom, spelled W-I-S-D-O-M.

Definition

  1. 1
    An element of personal character that enables one to distinguish the wise from the unwise.
  2. 2
    A piece of wise advice.
  3. 3
    The discretionary use of knowledge for the greatest good.
  4. 4
    The ability to apply relevant knowledge in an insightful way, especially to different situations from that in which the knowledge was gained.
  5. 5
    The ability to make a decision based on the combination of knowledge, experience, and intuitive understanding.
  6. 6
    The ability to know and apply spiritual truths.
  7. 7
    A group of wombats.
  8. 8
    A group of owls.
  9. 9
    Ellipsis of wisdom tooth.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. Wiſdom…is to a man an infinite Treaſure, for ſhe is the Breath of the Power of God, and a pure Influence that floweth from the Glory of the Almighty; ſhe is the Brightneſs of Eternal Light, and an undefiled Mirror of the Majeſty of God, and an Image of his Goodneſs; ſhe teacheth us Soberneſs and Prudence, Righteouſneſs and Strength; ſhe underſtands the Su…
  2. It would also be difficult to get to the bottom line accurately if a wisdom of wombats ate your working papers. Both scenarios are equal in probability.

Etymology

From Middle English wisdom, from Old English wīsdōm (“wisdom”), from Proto-West Germanic *wīsadōm, from Proto-Germanic *wīsadōmaz (“wisdom”), corresponding to wise + -dom. Cognate with Scots wisdom, wysdom (“wisdom”), West Frisian wiisdom (“wisdom”), Dutch wijsdom (“wisdom”), German Weistum (“legal sentence”), Danish/Norwegian/Swedish visdom (“wisdom”), Icelandic vísdómur (“wisdom”).

Synonyms

acuityastutenessclairvoyancediscernmentdiscriminationgumptioninsightnouspenetrationperspicacityprudencesagaciousnesssagacitysagelinesssagenesssapiencesavvysharpnesssophyunderstandingwisdomwisenesswit

Antonyms

foolishnessfollyfoolhardinessimprudencestupidityunwisdom

This word in other languages

sabiduría(Español)sagesse(Français)Weisheit(Deutsch)sabedoria(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • iwsdom
  • widsom
  • wisddom
  • wisdmo
  • wisdomm
  • wisodm
  • wissdom
  • wsidom
  • wwisdom

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

iwsdom2widsom2wisddom1wisdmo2wisdomm1wisodm2wissdom1wsidom2
Edit distance from "wisdom"

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 "wisdom"?
"wisdom" is spelled W-I-S-D-O-M. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈwɪzdəm/.
What does "wisdom" mean?
As a noun, "wisdom" means: An element of personal character that enables one to distinguish the wise from the unwise.
What words are commonly confused with "wisdom"?
"wisdom" is commonly confused with "widow", "window". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "wisdom"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "wisdom" is /ˈwɪzdəm/. 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 "wisdom"?
From Middle English wisdom, from Old English wīsdōm (“wisdom”), from Proto-West Germanic *wīsadōm, from Proto-Germanic *wīsadōmaz (“wisdom”), corresponding to wise + -dom. Cognate with Scots wisdom, wysdom (“wisdom”), West Frisian wiisdom (“wisdom... 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 "wisdom", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 6 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

visits#4,343throat#4,339summit#4,337shield#4,333

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (9 here; floor ≥5).

Rounds9 variantsrivers9 variantsphrase9 variantsMadrid9 variants

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list