button

/ˈbʌt(ə)n/

//ˈbʌt(ə)n// noun

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

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

The verdict

“button” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #2,658 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#2,658
frequency rank, English
6
letters
7
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A knob or disc that is passed through a loop or (buttonhole), serving as a fastener.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

button vs butts
67% similar
button vs Buxton
67% similar
button vs buttons
86% similar

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

Key facts for button
PropertyValue
Headwordbutton
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈbʌt(ə)n/
Letters6
Frequency rank#2,658
Misspellings tracked7
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “button” 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). button 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 button is 6 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈbʌt(ə)n/. Corpus data places it at rank #2,658 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 33 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 button, with forms such as "bbutton", "btuton", and "buton". 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, "butts", "Buxton", "buttons", and more, since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English boton, botoun, from Old French boton (Modern French bouton), from Old French bouter, boter (“to push; thrust”), ultimately from a Germanic language. Doublet of bouton, Biden, and beat. More at butt. The correct English form is button, spelled B-U-T-T-O-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    A knob or disc that is passed through a loop or (buttonhole), serving as a fastener.
  2. 2
    A mechanical device designed to be pressed with a finger in order to open or close an electric circuit or to activate a mechanism.
  3. 3
    An on-screen control that can be selected as an activator of an attached function.
  4. 4
    A badge worn on clothes, fixed with a pin through the fabric.
  5. 5
    A bud.
  6. 6
    The calyx of an orange.
  7. 7
    The head of an unexpanded mushroom.
  8. 8
    The clitoris.
  9. 9
    The center (bullseye) of the house.
  10. 10
    The soft circular tip at the end of a foil.
  11. 11
    A plastic disk used to represent the person in last position in a poker game; also dealer's button.
  12. 12
    The player who is last to act after the flop, turn and river, who possesses the button.
  13. 13
    A person who acts as a decoy.
  14. 14
    A raised pavement marker to further indicate the presence of a pavement-marking painted stripe.
  15. 15
    The end of a runway.
  16. 16
    A methaqualone tablet (used as a recreational drug).
  17. 17
    A piece of wood or metal, usually flat and elongated, turning on a nail or screw, to fasten something, such as a door.
  18. 18
    A globule of metal remaining on an assay cupel or in a crucible, after fusion.
  19. 19
    A knob; a small ball; a small, roundish mass.
  20. 20
    A small white blotch on a cat's coat.
  21. 21
    A unit of length equal to ¹⁄₁₂ inch.
  22. 22
    The means for initiating a nuclear strike or similar cataclysmic occurrence.
  23. 23
    The oblate spheroidal mass of glass attaching a stem to either its bowl or foot.
  24. 24
    In an instrument of the violin family, the near-semicircular shape extending from the top of the back plate of the instrument, meeting the heel of the neck.
  25. 25
    Synonym of endbutton, part of a violin-family instrument.
  26. 26
    Synonym of adjuster.
  27. 27
    The least amount of care or interest; a whit or jot.
  28. 28
    The punchy or suspenseful line of dialogue that concludes a scene.
  29. 29
    The final joke at the end of a comedic act (such as a sketch, set, or scene).
  30. 30
    A button man; a professional assassin.
  31. 31
    The final segment of a rattlesnake's rattle.
  32. 32
    A clove (of garlic).
  33. 33
    Pedicle; the attachment point for antlers in cervids.

Etymology

From Middle English boton, botoun, from Old French boton (Modern French bouton), from Old French bouter, boter (“to push; thrust”), ultimately from a Germanic language. Doublet of bouton, Biden, and beat. More at butt.

This word in other languages

botón(Español)bouton(Français)Knopf(Deutsch)botão(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: bbutton,btuton,buton,butotn,buttno,buttonn,ubtton

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

bbutton1btuton2buton1butotn2buttno2buttonn1ubtton2
Edit distance from "button"

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 "button"?
"button" is spelled B-U-T-T-O-N. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈbʌt(ə)n/.
What does "button" mean?
As a noun, "button" means: A knob or disc that is passed through a loop or (buttonhole), serving as a fastener.
What words are commonly confused with "button"?
"button" is commonly confused with "butts", "Buxton", "buttons". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "button"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "button" is /ˈbʌt(ə)n/. 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 "button"?
From Middle English boton, botoun, from Old French boton (Modern French bouton), from Old French bouter, boter (“to push; thrust”), ultimately from a Germanic language. Doublet of bouton, Biden, and beat. More at butt. 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 “button”

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

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