bandit

/ˈbændɪt/

//ˈbændɪt// noun

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

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

The verdict

“bandit” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #17,764 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#17,764
frequency rank, English
6
letters
9
tracked misspellings
12
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - One who robs others in a lawless area, especially as part of a group.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

bandit vs bands
67% similar
bandit vs Bondi
50% similar
bandit vs bandy
67% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for bandit
PropertyValue
Headwordbandit
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈbændɪt/
Letters6
Frequency rank#17,764
Misspellings tracked9
Confusable pairs12
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “bandit” 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). bandit 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 bandit is 6 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈbændɪt/. Corpus data places it at rank #17,764 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 6 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 9 likely wrong-spelling variants for bandit, with forms such as "abndit", "badnit", and "banddit". 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 12 confusable-pair relationships, "bands", "Bondi", "bandy", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowed from Italian bandito (“outlawed”), a derivative of Italian bandire (“to ban”), from Late Latin bandīre, an alteration (due to Gothic 𐌱𐌰𐌽𐌳𐍅𐌾𐌰𐌽 (bandwjan, “to signal”)) of Late Latin bannīre (“to ban”), from Frankish *bannan (“to ban”). Doubl… The correct English form is bandit, spelled B-A-N-D-I-T.

Definition

  1. 1
    One who robs others in a lawless area, especially as part of a group.
  2. 2
    An outlaw.
  3. 3
    One who cheats others.
  4. 4
    An aircraft identified as an enemy, but distinct from "hostile" or "threat" in that it is not immediately to be engaged.
  5. 5
    A runner who covertly joins a race without having registered as a participant.
  6. 6
    Synonym of arse bandit.

Etymology

Borrowed from Italian bandito (“outlawed”), a derivative of Italian bandire (“to ban”), from Late Latin bandīre, an alteration (due to Gothic 𐌱𐌰𐌽𐌳𐍅𐌾𐌰𐌽 (bandwjan, “to signal”)) of Late Latin bannīre (“to ban”), from Frankish *bannan (“to ban”). Doublet of bandito.

Synonyms

thiefcriminalfugitiveoutlawcheaterbanditbanditobrigandlatronrapparee

This word in other languages

bandido(Español)voleur(Français)Bandit(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: abndit,badnit,banddit,banditt,bandti,banidt,banndit,bbandit,bnadit

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of bandit - 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.

abndit2badnit2banddit1banditt1bandti2banidt2banndit1bbandit1
Edit distance from "bandit"

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 "bandit"?
"bandit" is spelled B-A-N-D-I-T. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈbændɪt/.
What does "bandit" mean?
As a noun, "bandit" means: One who robs others in a lawless area, especially as part of a group.
What words are commonly confused with "bandit"?
"bandit" is commonly confused with "bands", "Bondi", "bandy". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "bandit"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "bandit" is /ˈbændɪt/. 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 "bandit"?
Borrowed from Italian bandito (“outlawed”), a derivative of Italian bandire (“to ban”), from Late Latin bandīre, an alteration (due to Gothic 𐌱𐌰𐌽𐌳𐍅𐌾𐌰𐌽 (bandwjan, “to signal”)) of Late Latin bannīre (“to ban”), from Frankish *bannan (“to ba... 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 “bandit”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is B-A-N-D-I-T - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈbændɪt/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “bands” - see the side-by-side comparison. bandit vs bands
  • 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