Acheron

/ˈæ.kəɹ.ən/

//ˈæ.kəɹ.ən// name

"acheron" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“Acheron” is an uncommon English word, ranked #85,986 in English word frequency and used as a proper noun.

#85,986
frequency rank, English
7
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A river in the infernal regions; also, the infernal regions themselves. By some of the English poets, it was supposed to be a flaming lake or gulf.

Key facts for Acheron
PropertyValue
HeadwordAcheron
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechProper noun
IPA/ˈæ.kəɹ.ən/
Letters7
Frequency rank#85,986
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “Acheron” sits in English 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). Acheron 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 English entry for Acheron is 7 letters long, classified as a proper noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈæ.kəɹ.ən/. Corpus data places it at rank #85,986 in overall English 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.

We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for Acheron, typically a sign the spelling maps closely to how the word sounds. No confusable counterpart is on file for this word, since its spelling is unusual enough that it doesn't cluster with a lookalike.

Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowed from Latin Acherōn, from Ancient Greek Ἀχέρων (Akhérōn), probably Pre-Greek but folk-etymologically said to be from ἄχος (ákhos, “pain, distress”) + ῥέον (rhéon, “stream”). The correct English form is Acheron, spelled A-C-H-E-R-O-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    A river in the infernal regions; also, the infernal regions themselves. By some of the English poets, it was supposed to be a flaming lake or gulf.
  2. 2
    Hell
  3. 3
    A small town in Victoria, Australia.

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin Acherōn, from Ancient Greek Ἀχέρων (Akhérōn), probably Pre-Greek but folk-etymologically said to be from ἄχος (ákhos, “pain, distress”) + ῥέον (rhéon, “stream”).

This word in other languages

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

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "Acheron"?
"Acheron" is spelled A-C-H-E-R-O-N. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈæ.kəɹ.ən/.
What does "Acheron" mean?
As a proper noun, "Acheron" means: A river in the infernal regions; also, the infernal regions themselves. By some of the English poets, it was supposed to be a flaming lake or gulf.
How do you pronounce "Acheron"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "Acheron" is /ˈæ.kəɹ.ən/. 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 "Acheron"?
Borrowed from Latin Acherōn, from Ancient Greek Ἀχέρων (Akhérōn), probably Pre-Greek but folk-etymologically said to be from ἄχος (ákhos, “pain, distress”) + ῥέον (rhéon, “stream”). 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 “Acheron”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is A-C-H-E-R-O-N - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈæ.kəɹ.ən/ (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 FrequencyWords open word-frequency list