bring up

verb

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

"bring-up" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“bring up” is outside the top-ranked English vocabulary, used as a verb - the kind of word writers most often double-check.

Unranked
below top-frequency English
8
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see bring, up: To bring from a lower to a higher position.

Key facts for bring up
PropertyValue
Headwordbring up
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
Letters8
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “bring up” sits in English frequency

bring up falls outside the top-100,000 ranked English words, the long-tail zone of technical, archaic, or low-frequency vocabulary, exactly where readers second-guess spellings most.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for bring up is 8 letters long, classified as a verb. It sits outside the most-frequent rank tiers, which is often why uncommon words generate more spelling variants per reader. Wiktionary records 12 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for bring up, a straightforward case of a spelling with little room for common typos. No confusable counterpart is on file for this word, a sign it's visually distinctive enough not to be mixed up with another word.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English bryngen up, dissimilated from Middle English upbryngen (“to bring up, raise”). Doublet of upbring. The correct English form is bring up, spelled B-R-I-N-G- -U-P.

Definition

  1. 1
    Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see bring, up: To bring from a lower to a higher position.
  2. 2
    To mention.
  3. 3
    To raise or rear (children).
  4. 4
    To uncover, to bring from obscurity; to resurface (e.g. a memory)
  5. 5
    To turn on power or start, as of a machine.
  6. 6
    To check (a newly-assembled printed circuit board) for errors.
  7. 7
    To vomit.
  8. 8
    To stop or interrupt a flow or steady motion.
  9. 9
    To reach a particular score, especially a milestone.
  10. 10
    To legally charge and put on trial; to position (someone) for judgement or examination by authority.
  11. 11
    To level type or make it ready for printing by overlaying it.
  12. 12
    To prepare a vein for an injection.

Etymology

From Middle English bryngen up, dissimilated from Middle English upbryngen (“to bring up, raise”). Doublet of upbring.

Synonyms

bring back

This word in other languages

levantar(Español)élever(Français)hochbringen(Deutsch)criar(Português)

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "bring up"?
"bring up" is spelled B-R-I-N-G- -U-P.
What does "bring up" mean?
As a verb, "bring up" means: Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see bring, up: To bring from a lower to a higher position.
What is the origin of the word "bring up"?
From Middle English bryngen up, dissimilated from Middle English upbryngen (“to bring up, raise”). Doublet of upbring. 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 “bring up”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is B-R-I-N-G- -U-P - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • 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