How To Spell Definition In English | Spell It Right

You’re here for one word that shows up everywhere: definition. You see it in homework, essays, lesson notes, captions, and search boxes. One wrong letter can distract a reader, trip a spellcheck suggestion, or make your writing look rushed. This page keeps it simple: the correct spelling, the sound pattern that helps you keep the letters in order, and a few fast checks you can use before you hit submit.

If you only remember one thing, remember this: definition has one “f,” one “t,” and it ends with “-tion.” Most misspellings come from doubling a letter that shouldn’t be doubled, or swapping “-tion” for “-sion.”

How To Spell Definition In English

The correct spelling is definition.

Write it left to right like this: d e f i n i t i o n.

That’s nine letters, with a steady rhythm. No doubles. No extra vowels tucked in.

Say It Once, Then Spell It

Many people spell better when they say the word slowly first. In clear speech, it’s often said like “def-uh-NISH-ən.” You don’t need fancy symbols to use that. Just listen for the beats:

• def (start with d-e-f)
• uh (a light vowel sound that still uses the letter “i” in spelling)
• NISH (this is where people want to type “-sion,” yet it’s “-tion”)
• ən (the ending sound, written as “on” in this word)

Spelling The Word Definition In English With Common Traps

Let’s pin down the spots where your fingers may drift. These are the usual trouble points, even for strong writers:

• Single f: it’s def, not deff.
• Two i’s: one after the f, then another after the n.
• t before i-o-n: the ending is -tion, not -sion.

Chunk	Letters	Quick Memory Cue
Start	d-e-f	“def” like “definite” starts the same way
Next vowel	i	After f comes i (not e, not a)
Middle	n	One clean n, no double
Second vowel	i	Two i’s total in the word
Turn	t	The t sets up “-tion”
Finish sound	i-o-n	End it with -ion, not -ian
Full word	d-e-f-i-n-i-t-i-o-n	Say “def-uh-NISH-ən,” then type the letters
Fast check	…tion	If it ends in -tion, you’re on track

Quick Checks That Catch Mistakes

Before you move on, run two short checks. They take seconds and stop the usual typos.

Check One: Count The Vowels

Definition has five vowels: e, i, i, i, o. That feels odd at first, yet it’s a clean pattern once you see it. If you wrote an “a” or “u,” pause and retype.

Check Two: Confirm The Ending

The ending is -tion. A lot of writers hear “shun” and type -sion. With definition, it’s -tion. If you see “definision,” you’ve found the problem.

Use A Dictionary Page As A Spelling Anchor

If you’re writing for school or work, it helps to anchor the spelling to a trusted dictionary entry. When you look up a word on a dictionary page, you get the spelling, the word class, and a pronunciation guide that matches that source’s style. That can settle disputes when classmates, coworkers, or autocorrect disagree.

Two solid places to verify definition are the Cambridge Dictionary entry for “definition” and the Merriam-Webster entry for “definition”. Open one, read the spelling once, then close it and type the word from memory. That “look, close, write” loop builds recall fast.

How To Keep The Spelling In Your Head

If you’ve typed the word wrong more than once, it’s not a character flaw. It’s a pattern problem. Your brain stores the “shape” of a word, and it can store the wrong shape if you’ve seen a misspelling a lot. Fixing it means feeding your brain the right pattern on purpose.

Method One: Build From A Related Word

Link definition to define. When you see define, the start is clear: d-e-f-i-n-e. Then you shift to the noun form by keeping d-e-f-i-n-i and finishing with t-i-o-n. You don’t have to memorize nine letters as a flat list. You’re building a familiar base and adding a known ending.

Method Two: Type It Three Times, Then Stop

Open a blank note and type “definition” three times, slowly and cleanly. Then stop. Don’t type it thirty times. After a few clean reps, extra repeats often turn into sloppy repeats, and sloppy repeats teach the wrong pattern.

Method Three: Use A One-Line Self-Test

Cover the word with your hand or minimize your dictionary tab. Then write it once. Check it once. If it’s wrong, delete it and write it again, still once. That keeps your practice honest.

Where Misspellings Come From

Most spelling errors for this word come from sound-to-letter guesses. English spelling isn’t a strict “write what you hear” system, so guesses can drift.

The “Shun” Sound Problem

Lots of words end in a “shun” sound. Some use -tion (like action), and some use -sion (like vision). If you try to spell by sound alone, you may pick the wrong ending. For definition, lock in -tion.

The Extra Letter Habit

People often add an extra letter when a word feels long. With definition, common extras are a second f, a second t, or an extra e. The real word stays lean: no doubles, no spare vowels.

Common Wrong Form	What Went Wrong	Correct Form
defenition	e used instead of i after f	definition
defination	a used in the middle	definition
definision	-sion used instead of -tion	definition
deffinition	extra f added	definition
definiton	missed the i before o	definition
definitian	ian used instead of ion	definition
definitoin	o and i swapped near the end	definition
definittion	extra t added	definition

Use The Word In Real Sentences

Spelling sticks faster when you use the word in context. Here are a few clean sentence patterns you can borrow for school writing, note-taking, or quizzes. Type them once with the correct spelling, not as “practice lines,” but as real text.

School And Study Sentences

• The definition of the term is in the glossary.
• Write a short definition in your own words.
• This definition matches the example in the reading.

Everyday Writing Sentences

• Give me a clear definition so we’re on the same page.
• That word needs a tighter definition in the caption.
• I checked the definition before I posted it.

Mini Checklist Before You Submit

When you’re in a hurry, use this checklist. It’s short, and it catches the usual slip-ups.

• Start with def (d-e-f).
• After f, type i, not e.
• Keep the middle clean: n-i.
• End with -tion (t-i-o-n).
• Scan for doubles. There should be none.

Fast Practice You Can Do In One Minute

If you want a quick reset, do this one-minute drill. It’s short enough to fit between tasks.

1. Look at the word once: definition.
2. Close the tab or look away.
3. Type it once from memory.
4. Compare, fix, then type it once more.
5. Stop. Move on to your real writing.

One More Time, Plain And Clean

If you searched how to spell definition in english, the answer is the same every time: definition. If you searched how to spell definition in english because autocorrect kept nagging you, use the table above to spot your usual slip, then lock in the ending: -tion.

Once you can type it without pausing, you’ve got it. Then your attention can go back to what matters in your writing: the meaning you’re trying to share.