blackberry

/ˈblækbəɹi/

//ˈblækbəɹi// noun

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

"blackberry" is a 10-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“blackberry” has 15 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #12,009. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#12,009
frequency rank, English
31,241
“B” headwords
15
tracked misspellings
1
confusable pair

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A fruit-bearing shrub of the aggregate species Rubus fruticosus and some hybrids.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

blackberry vs Blackbeard
70% similar

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

Key facts for blackberry
PropertyValue
Headwordblackberry
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈblækbəɹi/
Letters10
Frequency rank#12,009
Misspellings tracked15
Confusable pairs1
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “blackberry” 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). blackberry 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 15 spelling variants around blackberry (IPA /ˈblækbəɹi/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #12,009 among 31,241 “B” headwords. Wiktionary lists 4 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 15 likely wrong-spelling variants for blackberry, with forms such as "balckberry", "bblackberry", and "blacbkerry". 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 1 confusable-pair relationship, "Blackbeard", a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English blakberie, blakeberie (“brambleberry”), from Old English blacu berġe, blæcberġe (attested in plural blaca berġan, equivalent to black + berry. The correct English form is blackberry, spelled B-L-A-C-K-B-E-R-R-Y.

Definition

  1. 1
    A fruit-bearing shrub of the aggregate species Rubus fruticosus and some hybrids.
  2. 2
    The soft fruit borne by this shrub, formed of a black (when ripe) cluster of drupelets.
  3. 3
    Any Rubus berry that is black or blackish; the plant that produces it.
  4. 4
    The blackcurrant.

Etymology

From Middle English blakberie, blakeberie (“brambleberry”), from Old English blacu berġe, blæcberġe (attested in plural blaca berġan, equivalent to black + berry.

This word in other languages

zarza(Español)ronce(Français)Brombeerstrauch(Deutsch)amoreira(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • balckberry
  • bblackberry
  • blacbkerry
  • blacckberry
  • blackbberry
  • blackberryy
  • blackbery
  • blackberyr
  • blackbrery
  • blackebrry
  • blackkberry
  • blakcberry
  • blcakberry
  • bllackberry
  • lbackberry

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

balckberry2bblackberry1blacbkerry2blacckberry1blackbberry1blackberryy1blackbery1blackberyr2
Edit distance from "blackberry"

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 "blackberry"?
"blackberry" is spelled B-L-A-C-K-B-E-R-R-Y. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈblækbəɹi/.
What does "blackberry" mean?
As a noun, "blackberry" means: A fruit-bearing shrub of the aggregate species Rubus fruticosus and some hybrids.
What words are commonly confused with "blackberry"?
"blackberry" is commonly confused with "Blackbeard". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "blackberry"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "blackberry" is /ˈblækbəɹi/. 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 "blackberry"?
From Middle English blakberie, blakeberie (“brambleberry”), from Old English blacu berġe, blæcberġe (attested in plural blaca berġan, equivalent to black + berry. 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 “blackberry”

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

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