buffoon

/bəˈfuːn/

//bəˈfuːn// noun

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

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

The verdict

“buffoon” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #36,905 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#36,905
frequency rank, English
7
letters
7
tracked misspellings
1
confusable pair

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - One who performs in a silly or ridiculous fashion; a clown or fool.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

buffoon vs buffon
86% similar

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

Key facts for buffoon
PropertyValue
Headwordbuffoon
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/bəˈfuːn/
Letters7
Frequency rank#36,905
Misspellings tracked7
Confusable pairs1
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “buffoon” 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). buffoon 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 buffoon is 7 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /bəˈfuːn/. Corpus data places it at rank #36,905 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 7 likely wrong-spelling variants for buffoon, with forms such as "bbuffoon", "bfufoon", and "buffono". 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 1 confusable-pair relationship, "buffon", since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle French bouffon, from Italian buffone (“jester”), from buffare (“to puff out the cheeks”), of onomatopoeic origin. Compare Middle High German buffen ("to puff"; > German büffen), Old English pyffan (“to breathe out, blow with the mouth”). More at… The correct English form is buffoon, spelled B-U-F-F-O-O-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    One who performs in a silly or ridiculous fashion; a clown or fool.
  2. 2
    An unintentionally ridiculous person.

Etymology

From Middle French bouffon, from Italian buffone (“jester”), from buffare (“to puff out the cheeks”), of onomatopoeic origin. Compare Middle High German buffen ("to puff"; > German büffen), Old English pyffan (“to breathe out, blow with the mouth”). More at English puff.

This word in other languages

bufón(Español)bouffon(Français)Hanswurst(Deutsch)palhaço(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: bbuffoon,bfufoon,buffono,buffoonn,bufofon,bufoon,ubffoon

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of buffoon - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

bbuffoon1bfufoon2buffono2buffoonn1bufofon2bufoon1ubffoon2
Edit distance from "buffoon"

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 "buffoon"?
"buffoon" is spelled B-U-F-F-O-O-N. The IPA pronunciation is /bəˈfuːn/.
What does "buffoon" mean?
As a noun, "buffoon" means: One who performs in a silly or ridiculous fashion; a clown or fool.
What words are commonly confused with "buffoon"?
"buffoon" is commonly confused with "buffon". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "buffoon"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "buffoon" is /bəˈfuːn/. 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 "buffoon"?
From Middle French bouffon, from Italian buffone (“jester”), from buffare (“to puff out the cheeks”), of onomatopoeic origin. Compare Middle High German buffen ("to puff"; > German büffen), Old English pyffan (“to breathe out, blow with the mouth”... 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 “buffoon”

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

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