callous

/ˈkæləs/

//ˈkæləs// adj

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

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

The verdict

“callous” has 8 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #26,355. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#26,355
frequency rank, English
5,599
“C” headwords
8
tracked misspellings
5
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - Emotionally hardened; unfeeling and indifferent to the suffering/feelings of others.

Corpus desk

Index EN-callous · callous · English

callous · rank #26,355 · 8 variants · 5 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #26,355
  • LEN-LONG 7 letters
  • VOW-3 3 vowels
  • CONFUS-MID 5 pairs
  • VAR-MID 8 variants
  • BOOK-DENSE 5,599
  • PHOTO-FINISH Canadiens

Nearest frequency peer: Canadiens (+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 “callous”

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

corpus weight

What this shows “callous” 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

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

callous vs calls
71% similar
callous vs Carlos
57% similar
callous vs Callum
57% similar

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

Key facts for callous
PropertyValue
Headwordcallous
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ˈkæləs/
Letters7
Frequency rank#26,355
Misspellings tracked8
Confusable pairs5
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “callous”

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).callouslands here:

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

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Same rarity band neighbours include “Canadiens” (#26,356), “busty” (#26,353), “Cantonese” (#26,357). Among 5,599 “C” headwords, “callous” is #26,355. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 8 spelling variants around callous (IPA /ˈkæləs/), anadjective. Corpus frequency is #26,355 among 5,599 “C” headwords. Wiktionary lists 2 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 8 likely wrong-spelling variants for callous, with forms such as "acllous", "callosu", and "callouss". 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. It also participates in 5 confusable-pair relationships, "calls", "Carlos", "Callum", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Latin callōsus (“hard-skinned”), from callum (“hardened skin”) + -ōsus. The correct English form is callous, spelled C-A-L-L-O-U-S.

Definition

  1. 1
    Emotionally hardened; unfeeling and indifferent to the suffering/feelings of others.
  2. 2
    Having calluses, or relating to calluses.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. She was so callous that she could criticise a cancer patient for wearing a wig.
  2. Re-watching some of the audition rounds of these shows now, you're struck by how callous the judges' comments often were, and how they presented a cruel spectacle in which the audience were set up to laugh at the "deluded" members of the public who believed they could sing.

Etymology

From Latin callōsus (“hard-skinned”), from callum (“hardened skin”) + -ōsus.

This word in other languages

insensible(Español)endurci(Français)gefühllos(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • acllous
  • callosu
  • callouss
  • calluos
  • calolus
  • calous
  • ccallous
  • clalous

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

acllous2callosu2callouss1calluos2calolus2calous1ccallous1clalous2
Edit distance from "callous"

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 "callous"?
"callous" is spelled C-A-L-L-O-U-S. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈkæləs/.
What does "callous" mean?
As an adjective, "callous" means: Emotionally hardened; unfeeling and indifferent to the suffering/feelings of others.
What words are commonly confused with "callous"?
"callous" is commonly confused with "calls", "Carlos", "Callum". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "callous"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "callous" is /ˈkæləs/. 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 "callous"?
From Latin callōsus (“hard-skinned”), from callum (“hardened skin”) + -ōsus. 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 "callous", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 7 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

bootleg#26,349Bohemia#26,346bluntly#26,345bellows#26,342

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (8 here; floor ≥5).

busty8 variantschurn8 variantsaortic8 variantscreole8 variants

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list