bulrush
/ˈbʊlɹʌʃ/
"bulrush" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“bulrush” is uncommon English (outside the top frequency list), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.
- Unranked
- below top-frequency English
- 7
- letters
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A plant referred to in the story of Moses as growing along the banks of the Nile, which is believed to be the papyrus (Cyperus papyrus).
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | bulrush |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Noun |
| IPA | /ˈbʊlɹʌʃ/ |
| Letters | 7 |
| Misspellings tracked | 0 |
| Confusable pairs | 0 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Where “bulrush” sits in English frequency
Rare enough to double-check
bulrush is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as anoun, transcribed /ˈbʊlɹʌʃ/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 4 senses are on record.
The misspelling generator found no plausible variants for bulrush, and the word's spelling is regular enough that our generator found nothing worth flagging. Our confusable-pair dataset has no match for it, 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 bulrish, perhaps from bule (“bull”) (in the sense of "large") + rish (“rush”). The correct English form is bulrush, spelled B-U-L-R-U-S-H.
Definition
- 1A plant referred to in the story of Moses as growing along the banks of the Nile, which is believed to be the papyrus (Cyperus papyrus).
- 2Any of various tall, narrow-leaved plants growing near water, especially cattail or reedmace, in the genus Typha.
- 3Sedges in the genera Bolboschoenus or Schoenoplectus (formerly considered Scirpus), having clusters of spikelets.
- 4Any of various reed-like plants growing near water, especially Typha domingensis and Typha orientalis; cumbungi, wonga.
Etymology
From Middle English bulrish, perhaps from bule (“bull”) (in the sense of "large") + rish (“rush”).
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). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Using “bulrush”
The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.
- The one correct English spelling is B-U-L-R-U-S-H - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
- Say it as /ˈbʊlɹʌʃ/ (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.