idem

/ˈiː.dem/

//ˈiː.dem// pron

The verdict

“idem” is a moderately-common Spanish word, ranked #22,050 in Spanish word frequency and used as a pronoun.

#22,050
frequency rank, Spanish
4
letters
3
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Mismo, el mismo.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

idem vs im
50% similar
idem vs ie
50% similar
idem vs ido
50% similar

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

Key facts for idem
PropertyValue
Headwordidem
LanguageSpanish
Part of speechPronoun
IPA/ˈiː.dem/
Letters4
Frequency rank#22,050
Misspellings tracked3
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “idem” sits in Spanish 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). idem 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 Spanish entry for idem is 4 letters long, classified as a pronoun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈiː.dem/. Corpus data places it at rank #22,050 in overall Spanish word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 3 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 3 likely wrong-spelling variants for idem, with forms such as "iddem", "idemm", and "iedm". 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 20 confusable-pair relationships, "im", "ie", "ido", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Our source data has no etymology on file for this entry, so its spelling is easiest to reason about phoneme by phoneme, absent a documented history. The correct Spanish form is idem, spelled I-D-E-M.

Definition

  1. 1
    Mismo, el mismo.
  2. 2
    El mismo, igual que.
  3. 3
    Al mismo tiempo.

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: iddem,idemm,iedm

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of idem - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

iddem1idemm1iedm2
Edit distance from "idem"

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 Spanish corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "idem"?
"idem" is spelled I-D-E-M. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈiː.dem/.
What does "idem" mean?
As a pronoun, "idem" means: Mismo, el mismo.
What words are commonly confused with "idem"?
"idem" is commonly confused with "im", "ie", "ido". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "idem"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "idem" is /ˈiː.dem/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "idem" come from?
"idem" is a Spanish word. PlainSpell's reference spans five languages -- English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and German -- with definitions, pronunciations, and spelling data for each.
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 “idem”

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

  • The one correct Spanish spelling is I-D-E-M - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈiː.dem/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “im” - see the side-by-side comparison. idem vs im
  • Browse more Spanish words and confusable pairs in the same reference. Spanish 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