buxom

/ˈbʌksəm/

//ˈbʌksəm// adj

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

"buxom" is a 5-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“buxom” is uncommon English (frequency #60,680 among 4,121 “B” headwords), classed as an adjective. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#60,680
frequency rank, English
4,121
“B” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - Having a full, voluptuous figure, especially possessing large breasts.

Corpus desk

Index EN-buxom · buxom · English

buxom · rank #60,680 · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-RARE #60,680
  • LEN-MID 5 letters
  • VOW-2 2 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-MID 4,121
  • PHOTO-FINISH burping

Nearest frequency peer: burping (-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.

Frequency neighbourhood for “buxom”

Lower corpus rank = more everyday usage (inverted bar length for readability)

corpus weight

What this shows Bars show where “buxom” sits against the nearest ranked English headwords in the FrequencyWords band, not a reprint of letter-browse containment.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for buxom
PropertyValue
Headwordbuxom
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ˈbʌksəm/
Letters5
Frequency rank#60,680
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “buxom” 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). buxom lands here:

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

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

buxom is uncommon English at frequency #60,680 among 4,121 “B” headwords, classed as anadjective, transcribed /ˈbʌksəm/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 4 senses are on record.

We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for buxom, and the word's spelling is regular enough that our generator found nothing worth flagging. This entry stands alone in our confusable dataset, 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 buxom, also ibucsum, ibuhsum (“bendsome, flexible, pliant, obedient”), from Old English bōcsum, *būhsum, *ġebūhsum (“bendsome, pliant, obedient”), from Proto-West Germanic *beuhsam, *beugsam, equivalent to bow (“to bend, bow at the waist… The correct English form is buxom, spelled B-U-X-O-M.

Definition

  1. 1
    Having a full, voluptuous figure, especially possessing large breasts.
  2. 2
    Full of health, vigour, and good temper.
  3. 3
    Physically flexible or unresisting.
  4. 4
    Morally pliant; obedient and easily yielding to pressure.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. Aarfy's buxom trollop had vanished with her smutty cameo ring, and Nurse Duckett was ashamed of him because he had refused to fly more combat missions and would cause a scandal.
  2. DIED. Robert Brooks, 69, canny businessman who, as chairman of Hooters, turned the bar-restaurant chain, famed for buxom waitresses in orange hot pants, into an international success.

Etymology

From Middle English buxom, also ibucsum, ibuhsum (“bendsome, flexible, pliant, obedient”), from Old English bōcsum, *būhsum, *ġebūhsum (“bendsome, pliant, obedient”), from Proto-West Germanic *beuhsam, *beugsam, equivalent to bow (“to bend, bow at the waist”) + -some or buck (“to bend, buckle, kick”) + -some. Cognate with Scots bowsome (“compliant”), West Frisian bûgsum (“flexible, bendy”), Dutch buigzaam (“flexible, pliant”), German biegsam (“flexible, pliant”).

This word in other languages

pechugona(Español)bien en chair(Français)drall(Deutsch)

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.

PlainSpell is rendered directly from structured Wiktionary extracts and open word-frequency lists, no number is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of September 3, 2026. Primary sources: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) and FrequencyWords.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "buxom"?
"buxom" is spelled B-U-X-O-M. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈbʌksəm/.
What does "buxom" mean?
As an adjective, "buxom" means: Having a full, voluptuous figure, especially possessing large breasts.
How do you pronounce "buxom"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "buxom" is /ˈbʌksəm/. 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 "buxom"?
From Middle English buxom, also ibucsum, ibuhsum (“bendsome, flexible, pliant, obedient”), from Old English bōcsum, *būhsum, *ġebūhsum (“bendsome, pliant, obedient”), from Proto-West Germanic *beuhsam, *beugsam, equivalent to bow (“to bend, bow at... 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 "buxom", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 5 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

bayan#60,645Baugh#60,644Colle#60,717Ayman#60,634

What to do next

You've looked up "buxom". Here's where to go from here.

  • Usage frequency rank #60,680 among English headwords in this corpus. Corpus statistics
  • Browse more English words in the "B" letter cohort. B–Z browse
  • PlainSpell rotates a curated Word of the Day from the English corpus, a passive way to discover vocabulary. Word of the Day

PlainSpell is a reference corpus, not spelling advice. Verify unusual forms in context.

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