bearskin

/ˈbɛə.skɪn/

//ˈbɛə.skɪn// noun

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

"bearskin" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“bearskin” is uncommon English (frequency #86,055 among 31,241 “B” headwords), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#86,055
frequency rank, English
31,241
“B” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - The pelt of a bear, especially when used as a rug.

Key facts for bearskin
PropertyValue
Headwordbearskin
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈbɛə.skɪn/
Letters8
Frequency rank#86,055
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “bearskin” 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). bearskin lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

bearskin is uncommon English at frequency #86,055 among 31,241 “B” headwords, classed as anoun, transcribed /ˈbɛə.skɪn/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 3 senses are on record.

Our edit-distance generator produced no likely misspellings for bearskin, typically a sign the spelling maps closely to how the word sounds. It is not paired with a close-neighbour confusable in our dataset, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.

Etymologically, the entry records: From bear + skin. The correct English form is bearskin, spelled B-E-A-R-S-K-I-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    The pelt of a bear, especially when used as a rug.
  2. 2
    A tall ceremonial hat worn by members of some British regiments for ceremonial occasions; a busby.
  3. 3
    A coarse, shaggy, woollen cloth for overcoats.

Etymology

From bear + skin.

Synonyms

busby

This word in other languages

Bärenfell(Deutsch)

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 "bearskin"?
"bearskin" is spelled B-E-A-R-S-K-I-N. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈbɛə.skɪn/.
What does "bearskin" mean?
As a noun, "bearskin" means: The pelt of a bear, especially when used as a rug.
How do you pronounce "bearskin"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "bearskin" is /ˈbɛə.skɪn/. 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 "bearskin"?
From bear + skin. 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 “bearskin”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is B-E-A-R-S-K-I-N - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈbɛə.skɪn/ (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

Other uncommon English words near this rank

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