adust
/əˈdʌst/
"adust" is a 5-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“adust” is outside the top-ranked English vocabulary, used as an adjective - the kind of word writers most often double-check.
- Unranked
- below top-frequency English
- 5
- letters
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Abnormally dark or over-concentrated (associated with various states of discomfort or illness, specifically being too hot or dry).
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | adust |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Adjective |
| IPA | /əˈdʌst/ |
| Letters | 5 |
| Misspellings tracked | 0 |
| Confusable pairs | 0 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Where “adust” sits in English frequency
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
The English entry for adust is 5 letters long, classified as an adjective, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /əˈdʌst/. It sits outside the most-frequent rank tiers, which is often why uncommon words generate more spelling variants per reader. Wiktionary records 3 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.
Zero misspellings are on record for adust in our index, since its letter sequence doesn't invite the usual edit-distance slips. This entry stands alone in our confusable dataset, which tends to mean the word is visually distinctive enough to stand on its own.
Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle French aduste, and its source, Latin adustus (“burnt, scorched”), past participle of adūrere. The correct English form is adust, spelled A-D-U-S-T.
Definition
- 1Abnormally dark or over-concentrated (associated with various states of discomfort or illness, specifically being too hot or dry).
- 2Hot and dry; thirsty or parched.
- 3Burnt or having a scorched colour.
Etymology
From Middle French aduste, and its source, Latin adustus (“burnt, scorched”), past participle of adūrere.
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 “adust”
The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.
- The one correct English spelling is A-D-U-S-T - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
- Say it as /əˈdʌst/ (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.