aplomb

/əˈplʌm/

//əˈplʌm// noun

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

"aplomb" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“aplomb” is an uncommon English word, ranked #61,959 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#61,959
frequency rank, English
6
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Self-confidence; poise; composure.

Key facts for aplomb
PropertyValue
Headwordaplomb
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/əˈplʌm/
Letters6
Frequency rank#61,959
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “aplomb” 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). aplomb 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 aplomb is 6 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /əˈplʌm/. Corpus data places it at rank #61,959 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 3 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

aplomb has no tracked misspelling variants, which points to an orthography that plays by predictable English rules. Our confusable-pair dataset has no match for it, a sign it's visually distinctive enough not to be mixed up with another word.

Etymologically, the entry records: Unadapted borrowing from French aplomb. The correct English form is aplomb, spelled A-P-L-O-M-B.

Definition

  1. 1
    Self-confidence; poise; composure.
  2. 2
    The apparent elegance and precision exhibited by a confident, accomplished dancer.
  3. 3
    The perpendicular; perpendicularity.

Etymology

Unadapted borrowing from French aplomb.

This word in other languages

aplomo(Español)Souveränität(Deutsch)autoconfiança(Português)

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 "aplomb"?
"aplomb" is spelled A-P-L-O-M-B. The IPA pronunciation is /əˈplʌm/.
What does "aplomb" mean?
As a noun, "aplomb" means: Self-confidence; poise; composure.
How do you pronounce "aplomb"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "aplomb" is /əˈplʌm/. 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 "aplomb"?
Unadapted borrowing from French aplomb. 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 “aplomb”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is A-P-L-O-M-B - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /əˈplʌm/ (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