# bayou

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈbaɪ.(j)uː/ · frequency rank #24,094

## Definitions
1. A slow-moving, often stagnant creek or river.
2. A swamp; a marshy (stagnant) body of water.

## Etymology
From Louisiana French bayou, from Choctaw bayuk (“a creek”). Doublet of bogue.

## Easily confused with
- **BYU** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bayou-vs-byu)
- **bays** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bayou-vs-bays)
- **buyout** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bayou-vs-buyout)
- **bay** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bay-vs-bayou)
- **bao** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bao-vs-bayou)
- **Bau** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bau-vs-bayou)
- **Baku** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/baku-vs-bayou)
- **babu** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/babu-vs-bayou)
- **Basu** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/basu-vs-bayou)
- **bacon** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bacon-vs-bayou)
- **baron** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/baron-vs-bayou)
- **baton** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/baton-vs-bayou)
- **Bayer** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bayer-vs-bayou)
- **Bantu** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bantu-vs-bayou)
- **Baidu** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/baidu-vs-bayou)

## Common misspellings (6)
`abyou`, `baoyu`, `bayuo`, `bayyou`, `bbayou`, `byaou`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/bayou