chaff

/t͡ʃæf/

//t͡ʃæf// noun

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

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

The verdict

“chaff” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #39,242 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#39,242
frequency rank, English
5
letters
6
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - The inedible parts of a grain-producing plant.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

chaff vs chat
60% similar
chaff vs chef
60% similar
chaff vs chan
60% similar

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

Key facts for chaff
PropertyValue
Headwordchaff
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/t͡ʃæf/
Letters5
Frequency rank#39,242
Misspellings tracked6
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “chaff” 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). chaff 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 chaff is 5 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /t͡ʃæf/. Corpus data places it at rank #39,242 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 5 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 6 likely wrong-spelling variants for chaff, with forms such as "cahff", "cchaff", and "chaf". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "chat", "chef", "chan", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English chaf, from Old English ċeaf, from Proto-West Germanic *kaf. Cognate with Scots caff, Saterland Frisian Sääf, West Frisian tsjêf, Dutch kaf, German Low German Kaff, regional German Kaff. The correct English form is chaff, spelled C-H-A-F-F.

Definition

  1. 1
    The inedible parts of a grain-producing plant.
  2. 2
    Straw or hay cut up fine for the food of cattle.
  3. 3
    Any excess or unwanted material, resource, or person; anything worthless.
  4. 4
    Light jesting talk; banter; raillery.
  5. 5
    Loose material, e.g. small strips of aluminum foil dropped from aircraft, intended to interfere with radar detection.

Etymology

From Middle English chaf, from Old English ċeaf, from Proto-West Germanic *kaf. Cognate with Scots caff, Saterland Frisian Sääf, West Frisian tsjêf, Dutch kaf, German Low German Kaff, regional German Kaff.

This word in other languages

paja(Español)balle(Français)Spreu(Deutsch)palha(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: cahff,cchaff,chaf,chfaf,chhaff,hcaff

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of chaff - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

cahff2cchaff1chaf1chfaf2chhaff1hcaff2
Edit distance from "chaff"

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 "chaff"?
"chaff" is spelled C-H-A-F-F. The IPA pronunciation is /t͡ʃæf/.
What does "chaff" mean?
As a noun, "chaff" means: The inedible parts of a grain-producing plant.
What words are commonly confused with "chaff"?
"chaff" is commonly confused with "chat", "chef", "chan". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "chaff"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "chaff" is /t͡ʃæf/. 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 "chaff"?
From Middle English chaf, from Old English ċeaf, from Proto-West Germanic *kaf. Cognate with Scots caff, Saterland Frisian Sääf, West Frisian tsjêf, Dutch kaf, German Low German Kaff, regional German Kaff. 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 “chaff”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is C-H-A-F-F - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /t͡ʃæf/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “chat” - see the side-by-side comparison. chaff vs chat
  • 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