caboose

/kəˈbuːs/

//kəˈbuːs// noun

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

"caboose" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“caboose” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #47,513 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#47,513
frequency rank, English
7
letters
9
tracked misspellings
1
confusable pair

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A small galley or cookhouse on the deck of a small vessel.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

caboose vs choose
71% similar

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

Key facts for caboose
PropertyValue
Headwordcaboose
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/kəˈbuːs/
Letters7
Frequency rank#47,513
Misspellings tracked9
Confusable pairs1
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “caboose” 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). caboose 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 caboose is 7 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /kəˈbuːs/. Corpus data places it at rank #47,513 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 6 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 9 likely wrong-spelling variants for caboose, with forms such as "acboose", "cabboose", and "cabooes". 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 1 confusable-pair relationship, "choose", a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Dutch kabuis, kombuis (“galley, kitchen”) or German Low German Kabüüs (“galley”), from Middle Dutch cabûse and Middle Low German kabûs, kabûse respectively. Cognate with German Kabüse, Kombüse, Danish kabys, Swedish kabyss, French combuse (< Middle Dut… The correct English form is caboose, spelled C-A-B-O-O-S-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    A small galley or cookhouse on the deck of a small vessel.
  2. 2
    A small sand-filled container used as an oven on board ship.
  3. 3
    The last car on a freight train, consisting of cooking and sleeping facilities for the crew; a guard’s van.
  4. 4
    The buttocks.
  5. 5
    The person or team in last place.
  6. 6
    A youngest child who is born after a long gap in time.

Etymology

From Dutch kabuis, kombuis (“galley, kitchen”) or German Low German Kabüüs (“galley”), from Middle Dutch cabûse and Middle Low German kabûs, kabûse respectively. Cognate with German Kabüse, Kombüse, Danish kabys, Swedish kabyss, French combuse (< Middle Dutch kabuys). Probably related to English boose (“a stall or shed”).

This word in other languages

cabús(Español)Kombüse(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: acboose,cabboose,cabooes,caboosse,cabose,cabosoe,caobose,cbaoose,ccaboose

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

acboose2cabboose1cabooes2caboosse1cabose1cabosoe2caobose2cbaoose2
Edit distance from "caboose"

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 "caboose"?
"caboose" is spelled C-A-B-O-O-S-E. The IPA pronunciation is /kəˈbuːs/.
What does "caboose" mean?
As a noun, "caboose" means: A small galley or cookhouse on the deck of a small vessel.
What words are commonly confused with "caboose"?
"caboose" is commonly confused with "choose". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "caboose"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "caboose" is /kəˈbuːs/. 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 "caboose"?
From Dutch kabuis, kombuis (“galley, kitchen”) or German Low German Kabüüs (“galley”), from Middle Dutch cabûse and Middle Low German kabûs, kabûse respectively. Cognate with German Kabüse, Kombüse, Danish kabys, Swedish kabyss, French combuse (< ... 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 “caboose”

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

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