basket

/ˈbɑːs.kɪt/

//ˈbɑːs.kɪt// noun

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

The verdict

“basket” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #6,333 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#6,333
frequency rank, English
6
letters
9
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A lightweight container, generally round, open at the top, and tapering toward the bottom.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

basket vs bast
67% similar
basket vs beset
67% similar
basket vs bucket
67% similar

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

Key facts for basket
PropertyValue
Headwordbasket
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈbɑːs.kɪt/
Letters6
Frequency rank#6,333
Misspellings tracked9
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “basket” 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). basket 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 basket is 6 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈbɑːs.kɪt/. Corpus data places it at rank #6,333 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 20 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 basket, with forms such as "absket", "bakset", and "basekt". 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, "bast", "beset", "bucket", and more, since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: Etymology tree Proto-Celtic *baskis Proto-Brythonicder. Late Latin bascauda Anglo-Norman bascatbor. Middle English basket English basket From Middle English basket, from Anglo-Norman baschet, basket, bascat, of obscure origin. One theory is that it derives … The correct English form is basket, spelled B-A-S-K-E-T.

Definition

  1. 1
    A lightweight container, generally round, open at the top, and tapering toward the bottom.
  2. 2
    A lightweight container, generally round, open at the top, and tapering toward the bottom.
  3. 3
    A wire or plastic container similar in shape to a basket, used for carrying articles for purchase in a shop.
  4. 4
    In an online shop, a listing of a customer's chosen items before they are ordered.
  5. 5
    A set or collection of intangible things.
  6. 6
    A circular hoop, from which a net is suspended, which is the goal through which the players try to throw the ball.
  7. 7
    The act of putting the ball through the basket, thereby scoring points.
  8. 8
    The game of basketball.
  9. 9
    A dance movement in some line dances, where men put their arms round the women's lower backs, and the women put their arms over the men's shoulders, and the group (usually of four, any more is difficult) spins round, which should result in the women's feet leaving the ground.
  10. 10
    The penis and region surrounding it.
  11. 11
    The bulge of the penis seen through clothing.
  12. 12
    In a stage-coach, two outside seats facing each other.
  13. 13
    A protection for the hand on a sword or a singlestick; a guard of a bladed weapon.
  14. 14
    A protection for the hand on a sword or a singlestick; a guard of a bladed weapon.
  15. 15
    A usually disc-like piece attached near the bottom of a ski pole to prevent it from sinking too deep into the snow.
  16. 16
    The gondola or wicker basket suspended from the balloon, in which the pilot and passengers travel.
  17. 17
    The bell or vase of the Corinthian capital.
  18. 18
    Bastard.
  19. 19
    A drogue (or para-drogue) in the probe-and-drogue refueling method
  20. 20
    Short for basket of goods

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Celtic *baskis Proto-Brythonicder. Late Latin bascauda Anglo-Norman bascatbor. Middle English basket English basket From Middle English basket, from Anglo-Norman baschet, basket, bascat, of obscure origin. One theory is that it derives from Late Latin bascauda (“kettle, table-vessel”), from Proto-Brythonic (in Breton baskodenn), from Proto-Celtic *baskis (“bundle, load”), from purported Proto-Indo-European *bʰask- (“bundle”), but this is now widely viewed as a substrate word for phonetic reasons. Related to Latin fascis (“bundle, package, load”) (whence English fasces), Albanian bokshe (“bundle”), Breton bac'h (“bundle, load”), Ancient Greek φάκελος (phákelos) and βάσκιοι (báskioi) (“bundle (of sticks)”); see also faggot (“(originally) bundle of sticks”).

Synonyms

cartshopping basketshopping cartcartshopping basketshopping cartbasketballhoopspenile crotch bulge

This word in other languages

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: absket,bakset,basekt,baskett,baskket,baskte,bassket,bbasket,bsaket

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

absket2bakset2basekt2baskett1baskket1baskte2bassket1bbasket1
Edit distance from "basket"

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 "basket"?
"basket" is spelled B-A-S-K-E-T. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈbɑːs.kɪt/.
What does "basket" mean?
As a noun, "basket" means: A lightweight container, generally round, open at the top, and tapering toward the bottom.
What words are commonly confused with "basket"?
"basket" is commonly confused with "bast", "beset", "bucket". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "basket"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "basket" is /ˈbɑːs.kɪt/. 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 "basket"?
Etymology tree Proto-Celtic *baskis Proto-Brythonicder. Late Latin bascauda Anglo-Norman bascatbor. Middle English basket English basket From Middle English basket, from Anglo-Norman baschet, basket, bascat, of obscure origin. One theory is that i... 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 “basket”

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

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