bond

/bɒnd/

//bɒnd// noun

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

"bond" is a 4-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“bond” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #2,517 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#2,517
frequency rank, English
4
letters
6
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A document constituting evidence of a long-term debt, by which the bond issuer (the borrower) is obliged to pay interest when due, and repay the principal at maturity, as specified on the face of t...

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

bond vs boy
50% similar
bond vs box
50% similar
bond vs bow
50% similar

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

Key facts for bond
PropertyValue
Headwordbond
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/bɒnd/
Letters4
Frequency rank#2,517
Misspellings tracked6
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “bond” 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). bond 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 bond is 4 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /bɒnd/. Corpus data places it at rank #2,517 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 15 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 6 likely wrong-spelling variants for bond, with forms such as "bbond", "bnod", and "bodn". 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 20 confusable-pair relationships, "boy", "box", "bow", and more, 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 bond, a variant of band, from Old English beand, bænd, bend (“bond, chain, fetter, band, ribbon, ornament, chaplet, crown”), from Proto-Germanic *bandaz, *bandiz (“band, fetter”). Cognate with Dutch band, German Band, Swedish band. Doubl… The correct English form is bond, spelled B-O-N-D.

Definition

  1. 1
    A document constituting evidence of a long-term debt, by which the bond issuer (the borrower) is obliged to pay interest when due, and repay the principal at maturity, as specified on the face of the bond certificate. The rights of the holder are specified in the bond indenture, which contains the legal terms and conditions under which the bond was issued. Bonds are available in two forms: registered bonds, and bearer bonds.
  2. 2
    A documentary obligation to pay a sum or to perform a contract; a debenture.
  3. 3
    A partial payment made to show a provider that the customer is sincere about buying a product or a service. If the product or service is not purchased the customer then forfeits the bond.
  4. 4
    A physical connection which binds, a band.
  5. 5
    An emotional link, connection or union; that which holds two or more people together, as in a friendship; a tie.
  6. 6
    Moral or political duty or obligation.
  7. 7
    A link or force between neighbouring atoms in a molecule.
  8. 8
    A binding agreement, a covenant.
  9. 9
    The state of being stored in a bonded warehouse
  10. 10
    A bail bond.
  11. 11
    Bond paper.
  12. 12
    Any constraining or cementing force or material.
  13. 13
    In building, a specific pattern of bricklaying, based on overlapping rows or layers to give strength.
  14. 14
    A mortgage.
  15. 15
    A heavy copper wire or rod connecting adjacent rails of an electric railway track when used as a part of the electric circuit.

Etymology

From Middle English bond, a variant of band, from Old English beand, bænd, bend (“bond, chain, fetter, band, ribbon, ornament, chaplet, crown”), from Proto-Germanic *bandaz, *bandiz (“band, fetter”). Cognate with Dutch band, German Band, Swedish band. Doublet of Bund. Related to bind.

This word in other languages

garantía(Español)obligation(Français)Anleihe(Deutsch)vínculo(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: bbond,bnod,bodn,bondd,bonnd,obnd

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

bbond1bnod2bodn2bondd1bonnd1obnd2
Edit distance from "bond"

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 "bond"?
"bond" is spelled B-O-N-D. The IPA pronunciation is /bɒnd/.
What does "bond" mean?
As a noun, "bond" means: A document constituting evidence of a long-term debt, by which the bond issuer (the borrower) is obliged to pay interest when due, and repay the principal at maturity, as specified on the face of t...
What words are commonly confused with "bond"?
"bond" is commonly confused with "boy", "box", "bow". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "bond"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "bond" is /bɒnd/. 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 "bond"?
From Middle English bond, a variant of band, from Old English beand, bænd, bend (“bond, chain, fetter, band, ribbon, ornament, chaplet, crown”), from Proto-Germanic *bandaz, *bandiz (“band, fetter”). Cognate with Dutch band, German Band, Swedish b... 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 “bond”

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

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