buffet

/ˈbʊf.eɪ/

//ˈbʊf.eɪ// noun

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

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

The verdict

“buffet” has 6 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #14,079. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#14,079
frequency rank, English
4,121
“B” headwords
6
tracked misspellings
10
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - A counter or sideboard from which food and drinks are served or may be bought.

Corpus desk

Index EN-buffet · buffet · English

buffet · rank #14,079 · 6 variants · 10 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #14,079
  • LEN-LONG 6 letters
  • VOW-2 2 vowels
  • CONFUS-MID 10 pairs
  • VAR-MID 6 variants
  • BOOK-MID 4,121
  • PHOTO-FINISH Brits

Nearest frequency peer: Brits (-1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Frequency neighbourhood for “buffet”

Lower corpus rank = more everyday usage (inverted bar length for readability)

corpus weight

What this shows Bars show where “buffet” sits against the nearest ranked English headwords in the FrequencyWords band, not a reprint of letter-browse containment.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

buffet vs buffy
67% similar
buffet vs buffs
67% similar
buffet vs bullet
67% similar

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

Key facts for buffet
PropertyValue
Headwordbuffet
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈbʊf.eɪ/
Letters6
Frequency rank#14,079
Misspellings tracked6
Confusable pairs10
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “buffet” 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). buffet lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 6 spelling variants around buffet (IPA /ˈbʊf.eɪ/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #14,079 among 4,121 “B” headwords. Wiktionary lists 3 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 6 likely wrong-spelling variants for buffet, with forms such as "bbuffet", "bfufet", and "bufeft". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 10 confusable-pair relationships, "buffy", "buffs", "bullet", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: Inherited from Middle English buffet (“stool”), from Middle French buffet (“side table”), from Old French buffet, of unknown origin. The modern pronunciation is remodelled after modern French buffet. The correct English form is buffet, spelled B-U-F-F-E-T.

Definition

  1. 1
    A counter or sideboard from which food and drinks are served or may be bought.
  2. 2
    Food laid out in this way, to which diners serve themselves.
  3. 3
    A small low stool; a hassock.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how buffet appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. They stayed together during three dances, went out on to the terrace, explored wherever they were permitted to explore, paid two visits to the buffet, and enjoyed themselves much in the same way as if they had been school-children surreptitiously breaking loose from an assembly of grown-ups.
  2. We'll be serving supper buffet style.

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English buffet (“stool”), from Middle French buffet (“side table”), from Old French buffet, of unknown origin. The modern pronunciation is remodelled after modern French buffet.

This word in other languages

bufé(Español)buffet(Français)Anrichte(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • bbuffet
  • bfufet
  • bufeft
  • bufet
  • buffte
  • ubffet

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

bbuffet1bfufet2bufeft2bufet1buffte2ubffet2
Edit distance from "buffet"

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.

PlainSpell is rendered directly from structured Wiktionary extracts and open word-frequency lists, no number is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of September 3, 2026. Primary sources: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) and FrequencyWords.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "buffet"?
"buffet" is spelled B-U-F-F-E-T. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈbʊf.eɪ/.
What does "buffet" mean?
As a noun, "buffet" means: A counter or sideboard from which food and drinks are served or may be bought.
What words are commonly confused with "buffet"?
"buffet" is commonly confused with "buffy", "buffs", "bullet". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "buffet"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "buffet" is /ˈbʊf.eɪ/. 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 "buffet"?
Inherited from Middle English buffet (“stool”), from Middle French buffet (“side table”), from Old French buffet, of unknown origin. The modern pronunciation is remodelled after modern French buffet. 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.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "buffet", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 6 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

burner#14,080brewer#14,077charms#14,085Barney#14,072

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (6 here; floor ≥5).

Bowie6 variantsclap6 variantsAriel6 variantsalgae6 variants

What to do next

You've looked up "buffet". Here's where to go from here.

  • "buffet" maps to 10 confusable pairs in this vintage; the highest-scored is "buffy". View pair
  • 6 edit-distance misspelling variants are generated for spell-check research on this headword. See variants
  • Usage frequency rank #14,079 among English headwords in this corpus. Corpus statistics
  • Browse more English words in the "B" letter cohort. B–Z browse
  • PlainSpell rotates a curated Word of the Day from the English corpus, a passive way to discover vocabulary. Word of the Day

PlainSpell is a reference corpus, not spelling advice. Verify unusual forms in context.

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