block

/blɒk/

//blɒk// noun

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

"block" is a 5-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“block” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #1,386 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#1,386
frequency rank, English
5
letters
8
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A substantial, often approximately cuboid, piece of any substance.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

block vs bok
60% similar
block vs book
60% similar
block vs blog
60% similar

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

Key facts for block
PropertyValue
Headwordblock
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/blɒk/
Letters5
Frequency rank#1,386
Misspellings tracked8
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “block” 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). block 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 block is 5 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /blɒk/. Corpus data places it at rank #1,386 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 39 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 8 likely wrong-spelling variants for block, with forms such as "bblock", "blcok", and "bllock". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "bok", "book", "blog", and more, since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English blok (“log, stump, solid piece”), from Old French bloc (“log, block”), from Middle Dutch blok (“treetrunk”), from Old Dutch *blok (“log”), from Proto-West Germanic *blokk, from Proto-Germanic *blukką (“beam, log”), from Proto-Indo-Europe… The correct English form is block, spelled B-L-O-C-K.

Definition

  1. 1
    A substantial, often approximately cuboid, piece of any substance.
  2. 2
    A substantial, often approximately cuboid, piece of any substance.
  3. 3
    A substantial, often approximately cuboid, piece of any substance.
  4. 4
    A substantial, often approximately cuboid, piece of any substance.
  5. 5
    A substantial, often approximately cuboid, piece of any substance.
  6. 6
    A substantial, often approximately cuboid, piece of any substance.
  7. 7
    A substantial, often approximately cuboid, piece of any substance.
  8. 8
    A substantial, often approximately cuboid, piece of any substance.
  9. 9
    A substantial, often approximately cuboid, piece of any substance.
  10. 10
    A substantial, often approximately cuboid, piece of any substance.
  11. 11
    A physical area or extent of something, often rectangular or approximately rectangular.
  12. 12
    A physical area or extent of something, often rectangular or approximately rectangular.
  13. 13
    A physical area or extent of something, often rectangular or approximately rectangular.
  14. 14
    A logical extent or region; a grouping or apportionment of like things treated together as a unit.
  15. 15
    A logical extent or region; a grouping or apportionment of like things treated together as a unit.
  16. 16
    A logical extent or region; a grouping or apportionment of like things treated together as a unit.
  17. 17
    A logical extent or region; a grouping or apportionment of like things treated together as a unit.
  18. 18
    A logical extent or region; a grouping or apportionment of like things treated together as a unit.
  19. 19
    A logical extent or region; a grouping or apportionment of like things treated together as a unit.
  20. 20
    A logical extent or region; a grouping or apportionment of like things treated together as a unit.
  21. 21
    A logical extent or region; a grouping or apportionment of like things treated together as a unit.
  22. 22
    A contiguous group of urban lots of property, typically several acres in extent, not crossed by public streets.
  23. 23
    A contiguous group of urban lots of property, typically several acres in extent, not crossed by public streets.
  24. 24
    A cuboid or approximately cuboid building.
  25. 25
    A cuboid or approximately cuboid building.
  26. 26
    Something that prevents something from passing.
  27. 27
    Something that prevents something from passing.
  28. 28
    Something that prevents something from passing.
  29. 29
    Something that prevents something from passing.
  30. 30
    Something that prevents something from passing.
  31. 31
    Something that prevents something from passing.
  32. 32
    Something that prevents something from passing.
  33. 33
    Something that prevents something from passing.
  34. 34
    Something that prevents something from passing.
  35. 35
    Something that prevents something from passing.
  36. 36
    Something that prevents something from passing.
  37. 37
    The human head.
  38. 38
    Solitary confinement.
  39. 39
    A blockhead; a stupid person; a dolt.

Etymology

From Middle English blok (“log, stump, solid piece”), from Old French bloc (“log, block”), from Middle Dutch blok (“treetrunk”), from Old Dutch *blok (“log”), from Proto-West Germanic *blokk, from Proto-Germanic *blukką (“beam, log”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰelǵ- (“thick plank, beam, pile, prop”). Cognate with Old Frisian blok, Old Saxon blok, Old High German bloh, bloc (“block”), Old English bolca (“gangway of a ship, plank”), Old Norse bǫlkr (“divider, partition”). More at balk. See also bloc, bulk.

This word in other languages

bloque(Español)bloc(Français)Block(Deutsch)bloco(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: bblock,blcok,bllock,blocck,blockk,blokc,bolck,lbock

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

bblock1blcok2bllock1blocck1blockk1blokc2bolck2lbock2
Edit distance from "block"

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 "block"?
"block" is spelled B-L-O-C-K. The IPA pronunciation is /blɒk/.
What does "block" mean?
As a noun, "block" means: A substantial, often approximately cuboid, piece of any substance.
What words are commonly confused with "block"?
"block" is commonly confused with "bok", "book", "blog". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "block"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "block" is /blɒk/. 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 "block"?
From Middle English blok (“log, stump, solid piece”), from Old French bloc (“log, block”), from Middle Dutch blok (“treetrunk”), from Old Dutch *blok (“log”), from Proto-West Germanic *blokk, from Proto-Germanic *blukką (“beam, log”), from Proto-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 “block”

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

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