calyx

/ˈkæ.lɪks/

//ˈkæ.lɪks// noun

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

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

The verdict

“calyx” is uncommon English (frequency #55,987 among 5,599 “C” headwords), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#55,987
frequency rank, English
5,599
“C” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - The outermost whorl of flower parts, comprising the sepals, which covers and protects the petals as they develop.

Corpus desk

Index EN-calyx · calyx · English

calyx · rank #55,987 · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-RARE #55,987
  • LEN-MID 5 letters
  • VOW-2 2 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-DENSE 5,599
  • PHOTO-FINISH candelabra

Nearest frequency peer: candelabra (+2 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.

Long-tail ranks near “calyx”

Sparse band: bars invert rank so rarer forms read shorter

corpus weight

What this shows Long-tail view: where “calyx” sits against similarly uncommon English ranks.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for calyx
PropertyValue
Headwordcalyx
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈkæ.lɪks/
Letters5
Frequency rank#55,987
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “calyx” in English

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right).calyxfalls in this rarity band:

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

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Rare peers in the same band: “candelabra” (#55,989), “Cagney” (#55,984), “cannula” (#55,990). Among 5,599 “C” headwords, “calyx” is #55,987. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

calyx is uncommon English at frequency #55,987 among 5,599 “C” headwords, classed as anoun, transcribed /ˈkæ.lɪks/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 5 senses are on record.

Zero misspellings are on record for calyx in our index, a sign its spelling follows regular English conventions. Our confusable-pair dataset has no match for it, since its spelling is unusual enough that it doesn't cluster with a lookalike.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Latin calyx, from Ancient Greek κάλυξ (kálux, “case of a bud, husk”). Doublet of chalice and kelch. The correct English form is calyx, spelled C-A-L-Y-X.

Definition

  1. 1
    The outermost whorl of flower parts, comprising the sepals, which covers and protects the petals as they develop.
  2. 2
    Any of various cup-like structures.
  3. 3
    Any of various cup-like structures.
  4. 4
    Any of various cup-like structures.
  5. 5
    Any of various cup-like structures.

Recorded use

Wiktionary example

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

  1. Black crowberry. Empetrum nigrum. Crowberry Family. Fruit. — The black drupe is berrylike, globular, and incloses six to nine seedlike nutlets with a seed in each. The calyx is at the base and the stigma is at the apex. The drupes are solitary in the leaf axils. They are juicy, acid, edible, and serve as food for the Arctic birds.

Etymology

From Latin calyx, from Ancient Greek κάλυξ (kálux, “case of a bud, husk”). Doublet of chalice and kelch.

This word in other languages

cáliz(Español)calice(Français)Kelch(Deutsch)cálice(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 "calyx"?
"calyx" is spelled C-A-L-Y-X. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈkæ.lɪks/.
What does "calyx" mean?
As a noun, "calyx" means: The outermost whorl of flower parts, comprising the sepals, which covers and protects the petals as they develop.
How do you pronounce "calyx"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "calyx" is /ˈkæ.lɪks/. 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 "calyx"?
From Latin calyx, from Ancient Greek κάλυξ (kálux, “case of a bud, husk”). Doublet of chalice and kelch. 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 "calyx", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

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

Cincy#56,012codon#56,019belie#55,947basta#55,943

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list