bilingual

/baɪˈlɪŋ.ɡwəl/

//baɪˈlɪŋ.ɡwəl// adj

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

"bilingual" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“bilingual” has 13 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #14,475. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#14,475
frequency rank, English
31,241
“B” headwords
13
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Having the ability to speak two languages fluently.

Key facts for bilingual
PropertyValue
Headwordbilingual
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/baɪˈlɪŋ.ɡwəl/
Letters9
Frequency rank#14,475
Misspellings tracked13
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “bilingual” 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). bilingual lands here:

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

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

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 13 spelling variants around bilingual (IPA /baɪˈlɪŋ.ɡwəl/), anadjective. Corpus frequency is #14,475 among 31,241 “B” headwords. Wiktionary lists 3 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 13 likely wrong-spelling variants for bilingual, with forms such as "bbilingual", "biilngual", and "bilignual". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. No confusable counterpart is on file for this word, which tends to mean the word is visually distinctive enough to stand on its own.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Latin bilinguis + -al; equivalent to bi- + lingual. The correct English form is bilingual, spelled B-I-L-I-N-G-U-A-L.

Definition

  1. 1
    Having the ability to speak two languages fluently.
  2. 2
    Spoken or written in two different languages.
  3. 3
    Characterized by the use or presence of two languages.

Etymology

From Latin bilinguis + -al; equivalent to bi- + lingual.

Synonyms

two-tongued

This word in other languages

bilingüe(Español)bilingue(Français)zweisprachig(Deutsch)bilíngue(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • bbilingual
  • biilngual
  • bilignual
  • bilingaul
  • bilinggual
  • bilinguall
  • bilingula
  • bilinngual
  • bilinugal
  • billingual
  • bilnigual
  • bliingual
  • iblingual

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of bilingual - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

bbilingual1biilngual2bilignual2bilingaul2bilinggual1bilinguall1bilingula2bilinngual1
Edit distance from "bilingual"

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 "bilingual"?
"bilingual" is spelled B-I-L-I-N-G-U-A-L. The IPA pronunciation is /baɪˈlɪŋ.ɡwəl/.
What does "bilingual" mean?
As an adjective, "bilingual" means: Having the ability to speak two languages fluently.
What are common misspellings of "bilingual"?
Common misspellings include "bbilingual", "biilngual", "bilignual", "bilingaul", "bilinggual". The correct spelling is "bilingual".
How do you pronounce "bilingual"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "bilingual" is /baɪˈlɪŋ.ɡwəl/. 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 "bilingual"?
From Latin bilinguis + -al; equivalent to bi- + lingual. 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 “bilingual”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is B-I-L-I-N-G-U-A-L - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /baɪˈlɪŋ.ɡwəl/ (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

Same frequency band

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