camphor

/ˈkæmfɚ/

//ˈkæmfɚ// noun

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

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

The verdict

“camphor” is uncommon English (frequency #54,067 among 5,599 “C” headwords), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#54,067
frequency rank, English
5,599
“C” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - A white transparent waxy crystalline isoprenoid ketone, 1,7,7-trimethylbicyclo[2.2.1]heptan-2-one, with a strong pungent odour, used in pharmacy, also known as laurel camphor or common/ordinary cam...

Corpus desk

Index EN-camphor · camphor · English

camphor · rank #54,067 · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-RARE #54,067
  • LEN-LONG 7 letters
  • VOW-2 2 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-DENSE 5,599
  • PHOTO-FINISH buttock

Nearest frequency peer: buttock (-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 “camphor”

Sparse band: bars invert rank so rarer forms read shorter

corpus weight

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

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for camphor
PropertyValue
Headwordcamphor
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈkæmfɚ/
Letters7
Frequency rank#54,067
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “camphor” in English

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).camphorfalls in this rarity band:

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

Ticks step logarithmically, so each one marks a roughly tenfold drop in how often the word turns up. Rare peers in the same band: “buttock” (#54,065), “carman” (#54,069), “bushman” (#54,064). Among 5,599 “C” headwords, “camphor” is #54,067. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

camphor is uncommon English at frequency #54,067 among 5,599 “C” headwords, classed as anoun, transcribed /ˈkæmfɚ/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 2 senses are on record.

We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for camphor, a straightforward case of a spelling with little room for common typos. This headword has no recorded confusable partner, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Old French camphore or Medieval Latin camphora, from Arabic كَافُور (kāfūr), in turn from an Austronesian word such as Malay kapur. The correct English form is camphor, spelled C-A-M-P-H-O-R.

Definition

  1. 1
    A white transparent waxy crystalline isoprenoid ketone, 1,7,7-trimethylbicyclo[2.2.1]heptan-2-one, with a strong pungent odour, used in pharmacy, also known as laurel camphor or common/ordinary camphor.
  2. 2
    a plant-extracted crystalline substance similar to common camphor, especially Borneo camphor.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. Yet, oddly enough, I found a far unlikelier substance, and that was camphor. I found it in a sealed jar, that by chance, I suppose, had been really hermetically sealed. I fancied at first that it was paraffin wax, and smashed the glass accordingly. But the odour of camphor was unmistakable. In the universal decay this volatile substance had chanced to sur…
  2. A form of camphor known as monobromated camphor is said to have an anaphrodisiac effect.

Etymology

From Old French camphore or Medieval Latin camphora, from Arabic كَافُور (kāfūr), in turn from an Austronesian word such as Malay kapur.

This word in other languages

alcanfor(Español)camphre(Français)Kampfer(Deutsch)cânfora(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 "camphor"?
"camphor" is spelled C-A-M-P-H-O-R. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈkæmfɚ/.
What does "camphor" mean?
As a noun, "camphor" means: A white transparent waxy crystalline isoprenoid ketone, 1,7,7-trimethylbicyclo[2.2.1]heptan-2-one, with a strong pungent odour, used in pharmacy, also known as laurel camphor or common/ordinary cam...
How do you pronounce "camphor"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "camphor" is /ˈkæmfɚ/. 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 "camphor"?
From Old French camphore or Medieval Latin camphora, from Arabic كَافُور (kāfūr), in turn from an Austronesian word such as Malay kapur. 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 "camphor", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

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

buttock#54,065bushman#54,064bricked#54,058braving#54,057

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list