Adam's apple
"adam-s-apple" is a 10-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“Adam's apple” is outside the top-ranked English vocabulary, used as a noun - the kind of word writers most often double-check.
- Unranked
- below top-frequency English
- 12
- letters
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - The lump in the throat, usually more noticeable in men than in women; the laryngeal prominence.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | Adam's apple |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Noun |
| Letters | 12 |
| Misspellings tracked | 0 |
| Confusable pairs | 0 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Where “Adam's apple” sits in English frequency
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
The English entry for Adam's apple is 12 letters long, classified as a noun. It sits outside the most-frequent rank tiers, which is often why uncommon words generate more spelling variants per reader. Wiktionary records 4 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.
No generated misspelling entries exist for Adam's apple in our index, suggesting the orthography follows predictable English patterns. Our dataset records no confusable match here, which tends to mean the word is visually distinctive enough to stand on its own.
Etymologically, the entry records: Calque of Latin pomum Adami, which is found in the botanical sense from 1560 and the anatomical sense from 1600. According to the earliest sources, the anatomical usage derives from a common belief that Adam was punished by God for the fall of man by having… The correct English form is Adam's apple, spelled A-D-A-M-'-S- -A-P-P-L-E.
Definition
- 1The lump in the throat, usually more noticeable in men than in women; the laryngeal prominence.
- 2Any of species Tabernaemontana divaricata of fragrant houseplants, native to southeast Asia.
- 3Any of hybrid species Musa × paradisiaca, of cultivated bananas.
- 4A citron (Citrus limetta, syn. of Citrus medica).
Etymology
Calque of Latin pomum Adami, which is found in the botanical sense from 1560 and the anatomical sense from 1600. According to the earliest sources, the anatomical usage derives from a common belief that Adam was punished by God for the fall of man by having a piece of the forbidden fruit lodged in his throat (see 1662 citation).
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). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Using “Adam's apple”
The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.
- The one correct English spelling is A-D-A-M-'-S- -A-P-P-L-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
- 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.