clone

/kloʊn/

//kloʊn// noun

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

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

The verdict

“clone” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #11,518 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#11,518
frequency rank, English
5
letters
7
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A living organism (originally a plant) produced asexually from a single ancestor, to which it is genetically identical.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

clone vs con
60% similar
clone vs Coe
40% similar
clone vs come
60% similar

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

Key facts for clone
PropertyValue
Headwordclone
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/kloʊn/
Letters5
Frequency rank#11,518
Misspellings tracked7
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “clone” 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). clone 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 clone is 5 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /kloʊn/. Corpus data places it at rank #11,518 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 7 likely wrong-spelling variants for clone, with forms such as "cclone", "cllone", and "clnoe". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "con", "Coe", "come", and more, since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: Coined (in botany) in 1903, based on Ancient Greek κλών (klṓn, “twig”). Figurative use from the 1970s. The correct English form is clone, spelled C-L-O-N-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    A living organism (originally a plant) produced asexually from a single ancestor, to which it is genetically identical.
  2. 2
    A group of identical cells derived from a single cell.
  3. 3
    A copy or imitation of something already existing, especially when designed to simulate it.
  4. 4
    A person who is exactly like or very similar to another person, in terms of looks or behavior.
  5. 5
    A Castro clone.

Etymology

Coined (in botany) in 1903, based on Ancient Greek κλών (klṓn, “twig”). Figurative use from the 1970s.

This word in other languages

clon(Español)clone(Français)Klon(Deutsch)clone(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: cclone,cllone,clnoe,cloen,clonne,colne,lcone

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of clone - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

cclone1cllone1clnoe2cloen2clonne1colne2lcone2
Edit distance from "clone"

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 "clone"?
"clone" is spelled C-L-O-N-E. The IPA pronunciation is /kloʊn/.
What does "clone" mean?
As a noun, "clone" means: A living organism (originally a plant) produced asexually from a single ancestor, to which it is genetically identical.
What words are commonly confused with "clone"?
"clone" is commonly confused with "con", "Coe", "come". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "clone"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "clone" is /kloʊn/. 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 "clone"?
Coined (in botany) in 1903, based on Ancient Greek κλών (klṓn, “twig”). Figurative use from the 1970s. 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 “clone”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is C-L-O-N-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /kloʊn/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “con” - see the side-by-side comparison. clone vs con
  • 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