Ainu

/ˈaɪnuː/

//ˈaɪnuː// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"ainu" is a 4-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“Ainu” is uncommon English (frequency #68,808 among 35,202 “A” headwords), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#68,808
frequency rank, English
35,202
“A” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A member of an ethnic group on the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido.

Key facts for Ainu
PropertyValue
HeadwordAinu
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈaɪnuː/
Letters4
Frequency rank#68,808
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “Ainu” 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). Ainu lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

Ainu is uncommon English at frequency #68,808 among 35,202 “A” headwords, classed as anoun, transcribed /ˈaɪnuː/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 2 senses are on record.

We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for Ainu, and the word's spelling is regular enough that our generator found nothing worth flagging. No confusable counterpart is on file for this word, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Japanese アイヌ (Ainu), from Ainu アイヌ (aynu, “person”). The correct English form is Ainu, spelled A-I-N-U.

Definition

  1. 1
    A member of an ethnic group on the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido.
  2. 2
    Synonym of Hokkaido (“a dog breed”).

Etymology

From Japanese アイヌ (Ainu), from Ainu アイヌ (aynu, “person”).

This word in other languages

ainu(Español)Aïnou(Français)Ainu(Deutsch)

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 "Ainu"?
"Ainu" is spelled A-I-N-U. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈaɪnuː/.
What does "Ainu" mean?
As a noun, "Ainu" means: A member of an ethnic group on the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido.
How do you pronounce "Ainu"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "Ainu" is /ˈaɪnuː/. 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 "Ainu"?
From Japanese アイヌ (Ainu), from Ainu アイヌ (aynu, “person”). 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 “Ainu”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is A-I-N-U - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈaɪnuː/ (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

Other uncommon English words near this rank

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