Maintenance vs. Maintainance
The standard spelling is “maintenance.” “Maintainance” is a common misspelling influenced by the spelling of “maintain,” but the established noun is spelled with “-tenance.”
Use “maintenance.” “Maintainance” is not the standard spelling.
Key details
Choose the right form
| Form | Status | Use |
|---|---|---|
| maintenance | standard noun | Use for upkeep, preservation, or the act of maintaining. |
| maintainance | nonstandard spelling | Correct to “maintenance” in ordinary edited English. |
The spelling of the verb “maintain” can tempt writers toward “maintainance,” but the established noun is “maintenance.”
Quick tests
Noun spelling test
Are you naming the act or process of maintaining something?
If yes: Write “maintenance.”
If no: If you need the verb, use “maintain” rather than either noun spelling.
Caveat: Preserve a nonstandard spelling only when exact reproduction is required.
Examples
Routine maintenance can prevent larger repairs.
“Maintenance” is the standard noun spelling.
Routine maintainance can prevent larger repairs.
Better: Routine maintenance can prevent larger repairs.
The noun does not keep the full spelling of “maintain.”
Further guidance
Error Boundary
The related verb “maintain” does not make “maintainance” the standard noun spelling; use “maintenance.”
Standard Form
Cambridge records the noun as “maintenance.”
Sources and evidence
Sources are shown with the role they play in this guide. Historical or style-sensitive claims are kept within the evidence boundary described above.
- Maintenance — Cambridge Dictionary (opens in a new tab)Cambridge University Press · Dictionary evidence for the standard spelling maintenance.