Which to use
“príncipe” and “princípio” are a confusable Portuguese pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #1,505
- “príncipe” frequency rank
- #1,905
- “princípio” frequency rank
- 3410
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | príncipe | princípio |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | membro da família reinante | o que vem primeiro, origem, início, começo |
Letter map: príncipe vs princípio
Shared letters muted; letters that set príncipe and princípio apart highlighted. Shared run: 5. príncipe runs 8 letters (CCVCCVCV) against princípio's 9 (CCVCCVCVV) - the length gap alone is often enough to separate them once you know to check it.
Corpus notes: príncipe and princípio
príncipe and princípio are indexed as a confusable Portuguese pair. We have no recorded pronunciation or part of speech for both members, so the spelling overlap is what we can show you: they differ by 1 letter(s) in length. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 3410, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
príncipe is recorded at frequency rank #1,505, classified as anoun, pronounced /ˈpɾĩ.sɨ.pɨ/. princípio is at rank #1,905, tagged as anoun.
Glosses for this pair are partially populated in our dataset, but the full side-by-side definitions above should still guide you to the right choice.
With a confusion score of 3410, this pair ranks #71,749 of 75,631 scored Portuguese confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of príncipe vs princípio
Shared letters: cinprí. Private to "príncipe": e. Private to "princípio": o.
"príncipe" · 8 letters · shape CCVCCVCV · "princípio" · 9 letters · shape CCVCCVCVV
Frequently Asked Questions
Is swapping "príncipe" for "princípio" ever safe?
In ordinary Portuguese text, does "príncipe" or "princípio" show up more?
Useful next steps
Pair "príncipe" vs "princípio" is on the table, pick a follow-up below.
- Full dictionary entry for "príncipe" with definition, IPA, and generated misspellings. Word entry
- Full dictionary entry for "princípio" - compare definitions side by side with the headword page. Word entry
- This pair ranks #71,749 of 75,631 scored Portuguese confusable pairs in this corpus vintage. Corpus statistics
- "príncipe" and "princípio" also get mixed up with nearby pairs, the highest-scored neighbour is "principado vs princípio". Nearby pair
Confusion rank #71,749 of 75,631 scored Portuguese pairs, corpus vintage 2026-09-03, not spelling advice.