bummer

/ˈbʌ.mɚ/

//ˈbʌ.mɚ// noun

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

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

The verdict

“bummer” has 7 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #22,307. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#22,307
frequency rank, English
4,121
“B” headwords
7
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - A forager, especially in Sherman's March to the Sea of November to December 1864.

Corpus desk

Index EN-bummer · bummer · English

bummer · rank #22,307 · 7 variants · 20 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #22,307
  • LEN-LONG 6 letters
  • VOW-2 2 vowels
  • CONFUS-HIGH 20 pairs
  • VAR-MID 7 variants
  • BOOK-MID 4,121
  • PHOTO-FINISH bubbly

Nearest frequency peer: bubbly (-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.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “bummer”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “bummer” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

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).

bummer vs buyer
67% similar
bummer vs butter
67% similar
bummer vs butler
67% similar

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

Key facts for bummer
PropertyValue
Headwordbummer
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈbʌ.mɚ/
Letters6
Frequency rank#22,307
Misspellings tracked7
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “bummer”

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right).bummerlands here:

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

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Same rarity band neighbours include “bubbly” (#22,306), “Bundy” (#22,308), “brisk” (#22,305). Among 4,121 “B” headwords, “bummer” is #22,307. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 7 spelling variants around bummer (IPA /ˈbʌ.mɚ/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #22,307 among 4,121 “B” headwords. Wiktionary lists 3 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 7 likely wrong-spelling variants for bummer, with forms such as "bbummer", "bmumer", and "bumemr". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "buyer", "butter", "butler", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: From German Bummler (“a drifter, a stroller, a rambler, a loiterer, a laggard”), from bummeln (“loaf, loiter, stroll, ramble”). The correct English form is bummer, spelled B-U-M-M-E-R.

Definition

  1. 1
    A forager, especially in Sherman's March to the Sea of November to December 1864.
  2. 2
    An idle, worthless fellow, without any visible means of support; a dissipated sponger.
  3. 3
    A lamb (typically the smallest of a multiple birth) which has been abandoned by its mother or orphaned, and as a consequence is raised in part or in whole by humans.

Recorded use

Wiktionary example

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

  1. “If I get away I sha’n’t be here,” I says, “to prove these rapscallions ain’t your uncles, and I couldn’t do it if I was here. I could swear they was beats and bummers, that’s all, though that’s worth something.

Etymology

From German Bummler (“a drifter, a stroller, a rambler, a loiterer, a laggard”), from bummeln (“loaf, loiter, stroll, ramble”).

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • bbummer
  • bmumer
  • bumemr
  • bumer
  • bummerr
  • bummre
  • ubmmer

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

bbummer1bmumer2bumemr2bumer1bummerr1bummre2ubmmer2
Edit distance from "bummer"

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 "bummer"?
"bummer" is spelled B-U-M-M-E-R. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈbʌ.mɚ/.
What does "bummer" mean?
As a noun, "bummer" means: A forager, especially in Sherman's March to the Sea of November to December 1864.
What words are commonly confused with "bummer"?
"bummer" is commonly confused with "buyer", "butter", "butler". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "bummer"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "bummer" is /ˈbʌ.mɚ/. 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 "bummer"?
From German Bummler (“a drifter, a stroller, a rambler, a loiterer, a laggard”), from bummeln (“loaf, loiter, stroll, ramble”). 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 "bummer", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

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

bubbly#22,306booted#22,304Casper#22,313arisen#22,292

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (7 here; floor ≥5).

appease7 variantsCrete7 variantsaffirm7 variantsCupid7 variants

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list