aficionado

/əˌfɪʃ.(j)əˈnɑː.dəʊ/

//əˌfɪʃ.(j)əˈnɑː.dəʊ// noun

"aficionado" is a 10-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“aficionado” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #48,583 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#48,583
frequency rank, English
10
letters
13
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - An amateur bullfighter.

Key facts for aficionado
PropertyValue
Headwordaficionado
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/əˌfɪʃ.(j)əˈnɑː.dəʊ/
Letters10
Frequency rank#48,583
Misspellings tracked13
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “aficionado” 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). aficionado 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 aficionado is 10 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /əˌfɪʃ.(j)əˈnɑː.dəʊ/. Corpus data places it at rank #48,583 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 2 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 13 likely wrong-spelling variants for aficionado, with forms such as "afciionado", "afficionado", and "aficcionado". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. This entry stands alone in our confusable dataset, a sign it's visually distinctive enough not to be mixed up with another word.

Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowed from Spanish aficionado (“fan, amateur”), past participle of aficionar (“to inspire fondness in someone, to get someone interested in something”). Doublet of affectionate. The correct English form is aficionado, spelled A-F-I-C-I-O-N-A-D-O.

Definition

  1. 1
    An amateur bullfighter.
  2. 2
    A person who likes, knows about, and appreciates a particular interest or activity (originally bullfighting); a fan or devotee.

Etymology

Borrowed from Spanish aficionado (“fan, amateur”), past participle of aficionar (“to inspire fondness in someone, to get someone interested in something”). Doublet of affectionate.

This word in other languages

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: afciionado,afficionado,aficcionado,aficinoado,aficioando,aficionaddo,aficionaod,aficiondao,aficionnado,aficoinado,afiiconado,aifcionado,faicionado

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of aficionado - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

afciionado2afficionado1aficcionado1aficinoado2aficioando2aficionaddo1aficionaod2aficiondao2
Edit distance from "aficionado"

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 "aficionado"?
"aficionado" is spelled A-F-I-C-I-O-N-A-D-O. The IPA pronunciation is /əˌfɪʃ.(j)əˈnɑː.dəʊ/.
What does "aficionado" mean?
As a noun, "aficionado" means: An amateur bullfighter.
What are common misspellings of "aficionado"?
Common misspellings include "afciionado", "afficionado", "aficcionado", "aficinoado", "aficioando". The correct spelling is "aficionado".
How do you pronounce "aficionado"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "aficionado" is /əˌfɪʃ.(j)əˈnɑː.dəʊ/. 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 "aficionado"?
Borrowed from Spanish aficionado (“fan, amateur”), past participle of aficionar (“to inspire fondness in someone, to get someone interested in something”). Doublet of affectionate. 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 “aficionado”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is A-F-I-C-I-O-N-A-D-O - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /əˌfɪʃ.(j)əˈnɑː.dəʊ/ (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