complication

\kɔ̃.pli.ka.sjɔ̃\

/\kɔ̃.pli.ka.sjɔ̃\/ noun

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

The verdict

“complication” is a moderately-common French word, ranked #24,523 in French word frequency and used as a noun.

#24,523
frequency rank, French
12
letters
18
tracked misspellings
2
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Assemblage, concours d’éléments, de circonstances ou d’incidents multiples susceptibles de créer des embarras, ou d’augmenter la difficulté ou le danger.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

complication vs complications
92% similar
complication vs compilation
83% similar

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

Key facts for complication
PropertyValue
Headwordcomplication
LanguageFrench
Part of speechNoun
IPA\kɔ̃.pli.ka.sjɔ̃\
Letters12
Frequency rank#24,523
Misspellings tracked18
Confusable pairs2
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “complication” sits in French 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). complication 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 French entry for complication is 12 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as \kɔ̃.pli.ka.sjɔ̃\. Corpus data places it at rank #24,523 in overall French word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 4 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 18 likely wrong-spelling variants for complication, with forms such as "ccomplication", "cmoplication", and "comlpication". 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 2 confusable-pair relationships, "complications", "compilation", 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 explained by how it's pronounced rather than where it came from. The correct French form is complication, spelled C-O-M-P-L-I-C-A-T-I-O-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    Assemblage, concours d’éléments, de circonstances ou d’incidents multiples susceptibles de créer des embarras, ou d’augmenter la difficulté ou le danger.
  2. 2
    Propension à considérer les événements, les êtres ou les choses, plus complexes qu’ils le sont.
  3. 3
    Fonctions supplémentaires ajoutées au mécanisme de base comme par exemple le tourbillon ou le quantième perpétuel.
  4. 4
    Montre ou garde-temps comportant une ou plusieurs complications.

Antonyms

simplification

This word in other languages

setback(English)complicación(Español)Komplikation(Deutsch)complicação(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: ccomplication,cmoplication,comlpication,commplication,compilcation,complciation,compliaction,complicaiton,complicatino,complicationn,complicatoin,complicattion,compliccation,complictaion,compllication,compplication,copmlication,ocmplication

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

ccomplication1cmoplication2comlpication2commplication1compilcation2complciation2compliaction2complicaiton2
Edit distance from "complication"

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

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "complication"?
"complication" is spelled C-O-M-P-L-I-C-A-T-I-O-N. The IPA pronunciation is \kɔ̃.pli.ka.sjɔ̃\.
What does "complication" mean?
As a noun, "complication" means: Assemblage, concours d’éléments, de circonstances ou d’incidents multiples susceptibles de créer des embarras, ou d’augmenter la difficulté ou le danger.
What words are commonly confused with "complication"?
"complication" is commonly confused with "complications", "compilation". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "complication"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "complication" is \kɔ̃.pli.ka.sjɔ̃\. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "complication" come from?
"complication" is a French word. PlainSpell covers definitions, pronunciations, and spelling data across English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and German.
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 “complication”

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

  • The one correct French spelling is C-O-M-P-L-I-C-A-T-I-O-N - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as \kɔ̃.pli.ka.sjɔ̃\ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “complications” - see the side-by-side comparison. complication vs complications
  • Browse more French words and confusable pairs in the same reference. French 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