condovscondomWhat's the difference?

Which to use

“condo” and “condom” are a confusable English pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.

#12,392
“condo” frequency rank
#12,947
“condom” frequency rank
25339
confusion score

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature condo condom
Definition Clipping of condominium. A flexible sleeve made of latex or other impermeable material such as polyurethane or sheepskin, worn over an erect penis during sexual intercourse as a contraceptive or as a way to prevent the spread of STIs during PIV, anal, or oral.

Where the spellings diverge

Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set condo and condom apart are highlighted. They share 5 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.

5 ch
condo
6 ch
condom

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

condo and condom form a confusable pair in the English index, two distinct headwords that are easily confused because they look alike, sound alike, or both. They differ by 1 extra letter(s) - “condo” sits inside “condom” - close enough that the eye skips over the difference, far enough that meaning fully diverges. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 25339, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.

condo is recorded at frequency rank #12,392, classified as anoun, pronounced /ˈkɑndoʊ/. condom is at rank #12,947, tagged as anoun, pronounced /ˈkɒn.dɒm/.

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 25339, this pair ranks #395,044 of 530,003 scored English confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.

Frequency comparison

condo#12,392
condom#12,947

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list

Frequently Asked Questions

Can "condo" and "condom" be used interchangeably?
No, "condo" and "condom" have distinct meanings and cannot be swapped without changing the meaning of a sentence. Understanding the specific definition and context for each word is essential for correct usage.

Remembering condo vs condom

The fastest way to pick the right one every time.

  • Read both glosses above and match the meaning you intend, only context separates this pair.
  • See each word in full, definition, IPA, etymology and its other confusables. Full “condo” entry
  • Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list