à deux

/ɑː ˈdɜː/

//ɑː ˈdɜː// prep_phrase

"a-deux" is a 5-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“à deux” is uncommon English (outside the top frequency list), classed as a prep_phrase. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

Unranked
below top-frequency English
6
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To be played by two people.

Key facts for à deux
PropertyValue
Headwordà deux
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechPrep_phrase
IPA/ɑː ˈdɜː/
Letters6
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “à deux” sits in English frequency

à deux falls outside the top-100,000 ranked English words, the long-tail zone of technical, archaic, or low-frequency vocabulary, exactly where readers second-guess spellings most.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

à deux is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as aprep_phrase, transcribed /ɑː ˈdɜː/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 2 senses are on record.

Zero misspellings are on record for à deux in our index, since its letter pattern doesn't lend itself to common typo substitutions. It is not paired with a close-neighbour confusable in our dataset, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.

Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowed from French à deux. The correct English form is à deux, spelled À- -D-E-U-X.

Definition

  1. 1
    To be played by two people.
  2. 2
    Privately; one-on-one.

Etymology

Borrowed from French à deux.

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "à deux"?
"à deux" is spelled À- -D-E-U-X. The IPA pronunciation is /ɑː ˈdɜː/.
What does "à deux" mean?
As a prep_phrase, "à deux" means: To be played by two people.
How do you pronounce "à deux"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "à deux" is /ɑː ˈdɜː/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "à deux"?
Borrowed from French à deux. See the full etymology section above for more details.
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 “à deux”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is À- -D-E-U-X - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ɑː ˈdɜː/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English 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