anode
/ˈæn.əʊd/
"anode" is a 5-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“anode” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #34,377 in English word frequency and used as a noun.
- #34,377
- frequency rank, English
- 5
- letters
- 6
- tracked misspellings
- 20
- confusable pairs
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - An electrode, of a cell or other electrically polarized device, through which a positive current of electricity flows inwards (and thus, electrons flow outwards). It can have either a positive or a...
Visual similarity to commonly confused words
How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).
Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | anode |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Noun |
| IPA | /ˈæn.əʊd/ |
| Letters | 5 |
| Frequency rank | #34,377 |
| Misspellings tracked | 6 |
| Confusable pairs | 20 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Where “anode” sits in English frequency
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
The English entry for anode is 5 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈæn.əʊd/. Corpus data places it at rank #34,377 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 4 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.
Our generated misspelling index lists 6 likely wrong-spelling variants for anode, with forms such as "andoe", "annode", and "anodde". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "anon", "ante", "aside", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.
Etymologically, the entry records: From Ancient Greek ἀνα- (ana-, “up”) and ὁδός (hodós, “path”), forming the New Greek compound ἄνοδος (ánodos). Coined by English polymath William Whewell in 1834 for Michael Faraday, who introduced it later that year. By surface analysis, an- (“up, forward,… The correct English form is anode, spelled A-N-O-D-E.
Definition
- 1An electrode, of a cell or other electrically polarized device, through which a positive current of electricity flows inwards (and thus, electrons flow outwards). It can have either a positive or a negative voltage with respect to cathode of the same polarized device (depending on whether the device is a load or a source, respectively).
- 2(by extension) The electrode at which chemical oxidation of anions takes place, usually resulting in the erosion of metal from the electrode.
- 3The electrode which collects electrons emitted by the cathode in a vacuum tube or gas-filled tube.
- 4That electrode of a semiconductor device which is connected to the p-type material of a p-n junction.
Etymology
From Ancient Greek ἀνα- (ana-, “up”) and ὁδός (hodós, “path”), forming the New Greek compound ἄνοδος (ánodos). Coined by English polymath William Whewell in 1834 for Michael Faraday, who introduced it later that year. By surface analysis, an- (“up, forward, away”) + -ode (“way”).
Antonyms
This word in other languages
Common misspellings
Also misspelled as: andoe,annode,anodde,anoed,aonde,naode
Misspelling Pattern Breakdown
How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of anode - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.
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
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Using “anode”
The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.
- The one correct English spelling is A-N-O-D-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
- Say it as /ˈæn.əʊd/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
- Don't mix it up with “anon” - see the side-by-side comparison. anode vs anon
- 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.