brawny

/bɹɔːni/

//bɹɔːni// adj

"brawny" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“brawny” is an uncommon English word, ranked #63,477 in English word frequency and used as an adjective.

#63,477
frequency rank, English
6
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Characterized by brawn; muscular, thewy; strong.

Key facts for brawny
PropertyValue
Headwordbrawny
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/bɹɔːni/
Letters6
Frequency rank#63,477
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “brawny” 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). brawny 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 brawny is 6 letters long, classified as an adjective, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /bɹɔːni/. Corpus data places it at rank #63,477 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 2 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for brawny, typically a sign the spelling maps closely to how the word sounds. Our dataset records no confusable match here, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English brawny; equivalent to brawn + -y. The correct English form is brawny, spelled B-R-A-W-N-Y.

Definition

  1. 1
    Characterized by brawn; muscular, thewy; strong.
  2. 2
    Calloused; hardened.

Etymology

From Middle English brawny; equivalent to brawn + -y.

This word in other languages

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 "brawny"?
"brawny" is spelled B-R-A-W-N-Y. The IPA pronunciation is /bɹɔːni/.
What does "brawny" mean?
As an adjective, "brawny" means: Characterized by brawn; muscular, thewy; strong.
How do you pronounce "brawny"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "brawny" is /bɹɔːni/. 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 "brawny"?
From Middle English brawny; equivalent to brawn + -y. 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 “brawny”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is B-R-A-W-N-Y - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /bɹɔːni/ (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
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