clump

/klʌmp/

//klʌmp// noun

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

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

The verdict

“clump” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #31,110 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#31,110
frequency rank, English
5
letters
8
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A cluster or lump; an unshaped piece or mass.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

clump vs cup
60% similar
clump vs cum
60% similar
clump vs coup
60% similar

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

Key facts for clump
PropertyValue
Headwordclump
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/klʌmp/
Letters5
Frequency rank#31,110
Misspellings tracked8
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “clump” 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). clump 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 clump is 5 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /klʌmp/. Corpus data places it at rank #31,110 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 6 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 8 likely wrong-spelling variants for clump, with forms such as "cclump", "cllump", and "clmup". 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, "cup", "cum", "coup", and more, since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English clompe, from Old English clymppe, a variant of clympre (“a lump or mass of metal”), from Proto-Germanic *klumpô (“mass, lump, clump; clasp”), from Proto-Indo-European *glembʰ- (“lump, clamp”). Alternatively, possibly from Middle Dutch cl… The correct English form is clump, spelled C-L-U-M-P.

Definition

  1. 1
    A cluster or lump; an unshaped piece or mass.
  2. 2
    A thick group or bunch, especially of bushes or hair.
  3. 3
    A dull thud.
  4. 4
    The compressed clay of coal strata.
  5. 5
    A small group of trees or plants.
  6. 6
    A thick addition to the sole of a shoe.

Etymology

From Middle English clompe, from Old English clymppe, a variant of clympre (“a lump or mass of metal”), from Proto-Germanic *klumpô (“mass, lump, clump; clasp”), from Proto-Indo-European *glembʰ- (“lump, clamp”). Alternatively, possibly from Middle Dutch clompe or Middle Low German klumpe (compare German Klumpen). Doublet of klomp. Cognates include Danish klump (probably from Low German as well). Compare Norwegian Bokmål klump.

This word in other languages

grumo(Español)amas(Français)Klumpen(Deutsch)agrupamento(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: cclump,cllump,clmup,clummp,clumpp,clupm,culmp,lcump

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of clump - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

cclump1cllump1clmup2clummp1clumpp1clupm2culmp2lcump2
Edit distance from "clump"

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 "clump"?
"clump" is spelled C-L-U-M-P. The IPA pronunciation is /klʌmp/.
What does "clump" mean?
As a noun, "clump" means: A cluster or lump; an unshaped piece or mass.
What words are commonly confused with "clump"?
"clump" is commonly confused with "cup", "cum", "coup". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "clump"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "clump" is /klʌmp/. 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 "clump"?
From Middle English clompe, from Old English clymppe, a variant of clympre (“a lump or mass of metal”), from Proto-Germanic *klumpô (“mass, lump, clump; clasp”), from Proto-Indo-European *glembʰ- (“lump, clamp”). Alternatively, possibly from Middl... 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 “clump”

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

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