broccoli

/ˈbɹɒ.kə.li/

//ˈbɹɒ.kə.li// noun

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

"broccoli" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“broccoli” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #14,907 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#14,907
frequency rank, English
8
letters
10
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A plant, Brassica oleracea var. italica, of the cabbage family, Brassicaceae; especially, the tree-shaped flower and stalk that are eaten as a vegetable.

Key facts for broccoli
PropertyValue
Headwordbroccoli
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈbɹɒ.kə.li/
Letters8
Frequency rank#14,907
Misspellings tracked10
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “broccoli” 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). broccoli 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 broccoli is 8 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈbɹɒ.kə.li/. Corpus data places it at rank #14,907 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.

Our generated misspelling index lists 10 likely wrong-spelling variants for broccoli, with forms such as "bbroccoli", "borccoli", and "brcocoli". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. No confusable counterpart is on file for this word, which tends to mean the word is visually distinctive enough to stand on its own.

Etymologically, the entry records: 1699, Italian broccoli, plural of broccolo (“cabbage sprout, head”), diminutive of brocco (“shoot, sprout”) (which is also the origin of brocade), from Latin broccus (“pointed, sharp, projecting; buck-toothed”), possibly of Gaulish origin, related to Proto-… The correct English form is broccoli, spelled B-R-O-C-C-O-L-I.

Definition

  1. 1
    A plant, Brassica oleracea var. italica, of the cabbage family, Brassicaceae; especially, the tree-shaped flower and stalk that are eaten as a vegetable.
  2. 2
    Marijuana.

Etymology

1699, Italian broccoli, plural of broccolo (“cabbage sprout, head”), diminutive of brocco (“shoot, sprout”) (which is also the origin of brocade), from Latin broccus (“pointed, sharp, projecting; buck-toothed”), possibly of Gaulish origin, related to Proto-Celtic *brokkos (“badger”) or Proto-Celtic *brozdos (“tip, point”) (compare Scottish Gaelic brog (“pointed instrument, awl”), Welsh procio (“thrust, poke”), Old English brord (“point, spike”)). More at brochure, brad.

This word in other languages

brécol(Español)brocoli(Français)Brokkoli(Deutsch)brócolis(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: bbroccoli,borccoli,brcocoli,broccloi,broccoil,broccolli,brococli,brocoli,brroccoli,rboccoli

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

bbroccoli1borccoli2brcocoli2broccloi2broccoil2broccolli1brococli2brocoli1
Edit distance from "broccoli"

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 "broccoli"?
"broccoli" is spelled B-R-O-C-C-O-L-I. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈbɹɒ.kə.li/.
What does "broccoli" mean?
As a noun, "broccoli" means: A plant, Brassica oleracea var. italica, of the cabbage family, Brassicaceae; especially, the tree-shaped flower and stalk that are eaten as a vegetable.
What are common misspellings of "broccoli"?
Common misspellings include "bbroccoli", "borccoli", "brcocoli", "broccloi", "broccoil". The correct spelling is "broccoli".
How do you pronounce "broccoli"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "broccoli" is /ˈbɹɒ.kə.li/. 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 "broccoli"?
1699, Italian broccoli, plural of broccolo (“cabbage sprout, head”), diminutive of brocco (“shoot, sprout”) (which is also the origin of brocade), from Latin broccus (“pointed, sharp, projecting; buck-toothed”), possibly of Gaulish origin, related... 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 “broccoli”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is B-R-O-C-C-O-L-I - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈbɹɒ.kə.li/ (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