buffalo

[ˈbʌfələʊ]

/[ˈbʌfələʊ]/ noun

The verdict

“buffalo” is a moderately-common German word, ranked #21,921 in German word frequency and used as a noun.

#21,921
frequency rank, German
7
letters
8
tracked misspellings
1
confusable pair

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Büffel

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

buffalo vs Büffel
43% similar

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

Key facts for buffalo
PropertyValue
Headwordbuffalo
LanguageGerman
Part of speechNoun
IPA[ˈbʌfələʊ]
Letters7
Frequency rank#21,921
Misspellings tracked8
Confusable pairs1
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “buffalo” sits in German 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). buffalo 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 German entry for buffalo is 7 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as [ˈbʌfələʊ]. Corpus data places it at rank #21,921 in overall German word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 3 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 8 likely wrong-spelling variants for buffalo, with forms such as "bbuffalo", "bfufalo", and "bufaflo". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 1 confusable-pair relationship, "Büffel", since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Wiktionary doesn't record an etymology for this headword, so its spelling is best read as a straightforward mapping from sound to letter. The correct German form is buffalo, spelled B-U-F-F-A-L-O.

Definition

  1. 1
    Büffel
  2. 2
    Büffel
  3. 3
    Büffel

This word in other languages

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: bbuffalo,bfufalo,bufaflo,bufalo,buffallo,buffaol,bufflao,ubffalo

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

bbuffalo1bfufalo2bufaflo2bufalo1buffallo1buffaol2bufflao2ubffalo2
Edit distance from "buffalo"

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

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "buffalo"?
"buffalo" is spelled B-U-F-F-A-L-O. The IPA pronunciation is [ˈbʌfələʊ].
What does "buffalo" mean?
As a noun, "buffalo" means: Büffel
What words are commonly confused with "buffalo"?
"buffalo" is commonly confused with "Büffel". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "buffalo"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "buffalo" is [ˈbʌfələʊ]. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "buffalo" come from?
"buffalo" is a German 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 “buffalo”

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

  • The one correct German spelling is B-U-F-F-A-L-O - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as [ˈbʌfələʊ] (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “Büffel” - see the side-by-side comparison. buffalo vs Büffel
  • Browse more German words and confusable pairs in the same reference. German 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