cab

/kæb/

//kæb// noun

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

"cab" is a 3-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“cab” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #7,658 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#7,658
frequency rank, English
3
letters
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A compartment at the front of a truck or train for the driver.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

cab vs co
33% similar
cab vs CD
0% similar
cab vs CM
0% similar

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

Key facts for cab
PropertyValue
Headwordcab
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/kæb/
Letters3
Frequency rank#7,658
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “cab” 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). cab 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 cab is 3 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /kæb/. Corpus data places it at rank #7,658 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 5 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Zero misspellings are on record for cab in our index, which points to an orthography that plays by predictable English rules. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "co", "CD", "CM", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: Clipping of cabriolet. The correct English form is cab, spelled C-A-B.

Definition

  1. 1
    A compartment at the front of a truck or train for the driver.
  2. 2
    A similar compartment in other vehicles.
  3. 3
    A shelter at the top of an air traffic control tower or fire lookout tower.
  4. 4
    Any of several two- or four-wheeled carriages; a cabriolet.
  5. 5
    Synonym of taxi, a vehicle available for public hire for single journeys.

Etymology

Clipping of cabriolet.

This word in other languages

cabina(Español)Führerhaus(Deutsch)cabine(Português)

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 "cab"?
"cab" is spelled C-A-B. The IPA pronunciation is /kæb/.
What does "cab" mean?
As a noun, "cab" means: A compartment at the front of a truck or train for the driver.
What words are commonly confused with "cab"?
"cab" is commonly confused with "co", "CD", "CM". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "cab"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "cab" is /kæb/. 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 "cab"?
Clipping of cabriolet. 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 “cab”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is C-A-B - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /kæb/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “co” - see the side-by-side comparison. cab vs co
  • 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