carillon

/ˈkɛɹɪˌlɑn/

//ˈkɛɹɪˌlɑn// noun

"carillon" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“carillon” is an uncommon English word, ranked #68,910 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#68,910
frequency rank, English
8
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A set of bells, often in a bell tower, sometimes operated by means of a keyboard (manual or pedal), originating from the Low Countries.

Key facts for carillon
PropertyValue
Headwordcarillon
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈkɛɹɪˌlɑn/
Letters8
Frequency rank#68,910
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “carillon” 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). carillon 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 carillon is 8 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈkɛɹɪˌlɑn/. Corpus data places it at rank #68,910 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 2 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Zero misspellings are on record for carillon in our index, typically a sign the spelling maps closely to how the word sounds. Our dataset records no confusable match here, which typically means the spelling is too distinctive to be mistaken for another word.

Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowed from French carillon. The correct English form is carillon, spelled C-A-R-I-L-L-O-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    A set of bells, often in a bell tower, sometimes operated by means of a keyboard (manual or pedal), originating from the Low Countries.
  2. 2
    A tune adapted to be played by musical bells.

Etymology

Borrowed from French carillon.

This word in other languages

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 "carillon"?
"carillon" is spelled C-A-R-I-L-L-O-N. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈkɛɹɪˌlɑn/.
What does "carillon" mean?
As a noun, "carillon" means: A set of bells, often in a bell tower, sometimes operated by means of a keyboard (manual or pedal), originating from the Low Countries.
How do you pronounce "carillon"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "carillon" is /ˈkɛɹɪˌlɑn/. 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 "carillon"?
Borrowed from French carillon. 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 “carillon”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is C-A-R-I-L-L-O-N - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈkɛɹɪˌlɑn/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • 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