diff --git a/CHANGELOG b/CHANGELOG
index 9e5732021..6e9ad833e 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG
+++ b/CHANGELOG
@@ -60,6 +60,8 @@
 
 - allow to override parametrized fixtures with non-parametrized ones and vice versa (bubenkoff).
 
+- fix issue463: raise specific error for 'parameterize' misspelling (pfctdayelise).
+
 2.6.4
 ----------
 
diff --git a/_pytest/mark.py b/_pytest/mark.py
index b9dbe6a7c..a619f96ca 100644
--- a/_pytest/mark.py
+++ b/_pytest/mark.py
@@ -1,6 +1,11 @@
 """ generic mechanism for marking and selecting python functions. """
 import py
 
+class MarkerError(Exception):
+    """
+    Error in use of a pytest marker/attribute.
+    """
+
 
 def pytest_namespace():
     return {'mark': MarkGenerator()}
diff --git a/_pytest/python.py b/_pytest/python.py
index 81a6373d4..5766768ed 100644
--- a/_pytest/python.py
+++ b/_pytest/python.py
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ import py
 import inspect
 import sys
 import pytest
-from _pytest.mark import MarkDecorator
+from _pytest.mark import MarkDecorator, MarkerError
 from py._code.code import TerminalRepr
 
 import _pytest
@@ -142,6 +142,10 @@ def pytest_cmdline_main(config):
 
 
 def pytest_generate_tests(metafunc):
+    # this misspelling is common - raise a specific error to alert the user
+    if hasattr(metafunc.function, 'parameterize'):
+        msg = "{0} has 'parameterize', spelling should be 'parametrize'"
+        raise MarkerError(msg.format(metafunc.function.__name__))
     try:
         markers = metafunc.function.parametrize
     except AttributeError:
diff --git a/testing/python/metafunc.py b/testing/python/metafunc.py
index 651e3846e..cbff9adfe 100644
--- a/testing/python/metafunc.py
+++ b/testing/python/metafunc.py
@@ -692,6 +692,21 @@ class TestMetafuncFunctional:
         reprec = testdir.inline_run()
         reprec.assertoutcome(passed=4)
 
+    @pytest.mark.issue463
+    def test_parameterize_misspelling(self, testdir):
+        testdir.makepyfile("""
+            import pytest
+
+            @pytest.mark.parameterize("x", range(2))
+            def test_foo(x):
+                pass
+        """)
+        reprec = testdir.inline_run('--collectonly')
+        failures = reprec.getfailures()
+        assert len(failures) == 1
+        expectederror = "MarkerError: test_foo has 'parameterize', spelling should be 'parametrize'"
+        assert expectederror in failures[0].longrepr.reprcrash.message
+
 
 class TestMarkersWithParametrization:
     pytestmark = pytest.mark.issue308