buttermilk

/ˈbʌtɚˌmɪlk/

//ˈbʌtɚˌmɪlk// noun

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

"buttermilk" is a 10-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“buttermilk” has 14 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #30,716. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#30,716
frequency rank, English
4,121
“B” headwords
14
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - The liquid left over after producing butter from full cream milk by the churning process, also called traditional buttermilk.

Corpus desk

Index EN-buttermilk · buttermilk · English

buttermilk · rank #30,716 · 14 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #30,716
  • LEN-MEGA 10 letters
  • VOW-3 3 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-HIGH 14 variants
  • BOOK-MID 4,121
  • PHOTO-FINISH businesswoman

Nearest frequency peer: businesswoman (-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 “buttermilk”

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

corpus weight

What this shows “buttermilk” 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
Key facts for buttermilk
PropertyValue
Headwordbuttermilk
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈbʌtɚˌmɪlk/
Letters10
Frequency rank#30,716
Misspellings tracked14
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “buttermilk”

This scale runs from the tiny cluster of words that carry ordinary speech (left) to the long tail of words almost nobody reaches for (right).buttermilklands here:

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

Ticks step logarithmically, so each one marks a roughly tenfold drop in how often the word turns up. Same rarity band neighbours include “businesswoman” (#30,715), “Cai” (#30,718), “buoyancy” (#30,713). Among 4,121 “B” headwords, “buttermilk” is #30,716. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 14 spelling variants around buttermilk (IPA /ˈbʌtɚˌmɪlk/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #30,716 among 4,121 “B” headwords. Wiktionary lists 3 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 14 likely wrong-spelling variants for buttermilk, with forms such as "bbuttermilk", "btutermilk", and "butermilk". 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. Our dataset records no confusable match here, which typically means the spelling is too distinctive to be mistaken for another word.

Etymologically, the entry records: Inherited from Middle English butter-melke, equivalent to butter + milk. Cognate with German Low German Bottermelk (“buttermilk”), German Buttermilch (“buttermilk”). The correct English form is buttermilk, spelled B-U-T-T-E-R-M-I-L-K.

Definition

  1. 1
    The liquid left over after producing butter from full cream milk by the churning process, also called traditional buttermilk.
  2. 2
    Cultured buttermilk, a fermented dairy product produced from cow's milk, with a characteristically sour taste.
  3. 3
    A light yellow color, like that of buttermilk.

Recorded use

Wiktionary example

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

  1. An anti-aphrodisiac, suggested in Hindu erotological literature as a way for women to negate amatory challenges, is to bathe in the buttermilk of a she-buffalo.

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English butter-melke, equivalent to butter + milk. Cognate with German Low German Bottermelk (“buttermilk”), German Buttermilch (“buttermilk”).

This word in other languages

babeurre(Français)Buttermilch(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • bbuttermilk
  • btutermilk
  • butermilk
  • butetrmilk
  • buttemrilk
  • butterimlk
  • buttermikl
  • buttermilkk
  • buttermillk
  • buttermlik
  • buttermmilk
  • butterrmilk
  • buttremilk
  • ubttermilk

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

bbuttermilk1btutermilk2butermilk1butetrmilk2buttemrilk2butterimlk2buttermikl2buttermilkk1
Edit distance from "buttermilk"

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 "buttermilk"?
"buttermilk" is spelled B-U-T-T-E-R-M-I-L-K. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈbʌtɚˌmɪlk/.
What does "buttermilk" mean?
As a noun, "buttermilk" means: The liquid left over after producing butter from full cream milk by the churning process, also called traditional buttermilk.
What are common misspellings of "buttermilk"?
Common misspellings include "bbuttermilk", "btutermilk", "butermilk", "butetrmilk", "buttemrilk". The correct spelling is "buttermilk".
How do you pronounce "buttermilk"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "buttermilk" is /ˈbʌtɚˌmɪlk/. 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 "buttermilk"?
Inherited from Middle English butter-melke, equivalent to butter + milk. Cognate with German Low German Bottermelk (“buttermilk”), German Buttermilch (“buttermilk”). 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 "buttermilk", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 10 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

Brookfield#30,711cautionary#30,726altruistic#30,680aborigines#30,669

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (14 here; floor ≥5).

damnation14 variantsexpectant14 variantstinkering14 variantsHindustan14 variants

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list