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callus

Definition, pronunciation, etymology, and usage for the English word. Free spelling reference powered by Wiktionary.

Letters

6 characters

Language

English

word origin

Source

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Detailed reference entry for the English word "callus", 6-letters, with pronunciation in International Phonetic Alphabet notation, etymology traced through Germanic and Romance roots where applicable, common misspelling variants catalogued from Hunspell error dictionaries, and usage frequency ranked against the top 100,000 English words in the Wordfreq corpus. PlainSpell covers English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and German spelling with confusable-pair detection that highlights visually and phonetically similar words. This entry for "callus" includes synonyms, antonyms, homophones, and cross-language translation pointers sourced from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org extract. Whether you are verifying the correct spelling of "callus" for academic writing, checking homophone confusion, or exploring etymological origins, this page provides a citation-backed, free reference that requires no sign-up.

callus is aEnglishnoun. It means: A hardened area of the skin (especially on the foot or hand) caused by repeated friction, wear or use. Pronounced /ˈkæləs/. Often confused with cells and Claus.

Key facts for callus
PropertyValue
Headwordcallus
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈkæləs/
Letters6
Frequency rank#47,517
Misspellings tracked6
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency rank visualization

Position of callus in English word frequency (lower rank = more common)

Source: Wordfreq corpus

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for callus is 6 letters long, classified as anoun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈkæləs/. Corpus data places it at rank #47,517 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 Hunspell-derived misspelling index lists 6 documented wrong-spelling variants for callus, with forms such as "acllus", "callsu", and "calluss". Each variant represents a distinct typo pattern that appears often enough in corpora to be worth flagging, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution.It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "cells", "Claus", "Calum", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowed from Latin callum (“hard skin”). Displaced Old English wearr. Root origin matters for spelling because borrowed morphemes (Greek, Latin, Old French, Old English) carry their source-language orthographic conventions into modern English, which is why historical etymology is often the cleanest predictor of whether a cluster like "-ough", "-eau", or "-tion" will appear. For readers arriving here from a spelling check, the authoritative guidance is: the correct English form is callus, spelled C-A-L-L-U-S, and any other sequence of those letters, regardless of how natural it feels, is a misspelling in standard orthography.

Definition

  1. 1
    A hardened area of the skin (especially on the foot or hand) caused by repeated friction, wear or use.
  2. 2
    The material of repair in fractures of bone; a substance exuded at the site of fracture, which is at first soft or cartilaginous in consistency, but is ultimately converted into true bone and unites the fragments into a single piece.
  3. 3
    The new formation over the end of a cutting, before it puts out rootlets.
  4. 4
    In orchids, a fleshy outgrowth from the labellum.
  5. 5
    In grasses, a hardened extension from the base of a floret, which may or may not elongate and is often covered in hairs or bristles.
  6. 6
    A shining area on the frons of many species of Tabanomorpha (horse flies and relatives).

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin callum (“hard skin”). Displaced Old English wearr.

This word in other languages

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: acllus,callsu,calluss,caluls,ccallus,clalus

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

Relative frequency of common misspelling types for callus

Misspelling Variants of "callus"

acllus6callsu6calluss7caluls6ccallus7clalus6
Misspelling Variants of "callus"

Frequency rank: #47,517 in English

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "callus"?
"callus" is spelled C-A-L-L-U-S. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈkæləs/.
What does "callus" mean?
As a noun, "callus" means: A hardened area of the skin (especially on the foot or hand) caused by repeated friction, wear or use.
What words are commonly confused with "callus"?
"callus" is commonly confused with "cells", "Claus", "Calum". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "callus"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "callus" 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 "callus"?
Borrowed from Latin callum (“hard skin”). Displaced Old English wearr. 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.

Nearby English words

Other entries that begin with the letter C in our English index:

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Data Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Frequency data from Wordfreq. Misspellings derived from Hunspell dictionaries.