cluster

/ˈklʌstə/

//ˈklʌstə// noun

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

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

The verdict

“cluster” has 11 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #7,206. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#7,206
frequency rank, English
5,599
“C” headwords
11
tracked misspellings
13
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - A bunch or group of several discrete items that are close to each other.

Corpus desk

Index EN-cluster · cluster · English

cluster · rank #7,206 · 11 variants · 13 confusables

  • FREQ-COMMON #7,206
  • LEN-LONG 7 letters
  • VOW-2 2 vowels
  • CONFUS-MID 13 pairs
  • VAR-MID 11 variants
  • BOOK-DENSE 5,599
  • PHOTO-FINISH clause

Nearest frequency peer: clause (-1 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.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “cluster”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “cluster” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

cluster vs cutter
71% similar
cluster vs coaster
71% similar
cluster vs clutter
86% similar

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

Key facts for cluster
PropertyValue
Headwordcluster
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈklʌstə/
Letters7
Frequency rank#7,206
Misspellings tracked11
Confusable pairs13
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “cluster”

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).clusterlands here:

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

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Same rarity band neighbours include “clause” (#7,205), “complained” (#7,207), “centered” (#7,203). Among 5,599 “C” headwords, “cluster” is #7,206. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 11 spelling variants around cluster (IPA /ˈklʌstə/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #7,206 among 5,599 “C” headwords. Wiktionary lists 14 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 11 likely wrong-spelling variants for cluster, with forms such as "ccluster", "clluster", and "clsuter". 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 13 confusable-pair relationships, "cutter", "coaster", "clutter", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: The noun is derived from Middle English cluster (“bunch, cluster, spray; compact body or mass, ball”) [and other forms], from Old English cluster, clyster (“cluster, bunch, branch”), from Proto-Germanic *klas-, *klus- (“to clump, lump together”) (possibly f… The correct English form is cluster, spelled C-L-U-S-T-E-R.

Definition

  1. 1
    A bunch or group of several discrete items that are close to each other.
  2. 2
    A bunch or group of several discrete items that are close to each other.
  3. 3
    A bunch or group of several discrete items that are close to each other.
  4. 4
    A bunch or group of several discrete items that are close to each other.
  5. 5
    A bunch or group of several discrete items that are close to each other.
  6. 6
    A bunch or group of several discrete items that are close to each other.
  7. 7
    A bunch or group of several discrete items that are close to each other.
  8. 8
    A bunch or group of several discrete items that are close to each other.
  9. 9
    A bunch or group of several discrete items that are close to each other.
  10. 10
    A bunch or group of several discrete items that are close to each other.
  11. 11
    A bunch or group of several discrete items that are close to each other.
  12. 12
    A bunch or group of several discrete items that are close to each other.
  13. 13
    A number of individuals (animals or people) collected in one place or grouped together; a crowd, a mob, a swarm.
  14. 14
    Euphemistic form of clusterfuck (“a chaotic situation where everything seems to go wrong”).

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. a cluster of islands
  2. A cluster of flowers grew in the pot.

Etymology

The noun is derived from Middle English cluster (“bunch, cluster, spray; compact body or mass, ball”) [and other forms], from Old English cluster, clyster (“cluster, bunch, branch”), from Proto-Germanic *klas-, *klus- (“to clump, lump together”) (possibly from Proto-Indo-European *gel- (“to ball up; to clench; to amass”)) + *-þrą (suffix forming nouns denoting an instrument or tool). The English word is probably a doublet of clot. The verb is derived from the noun. Cognates * Dutch klister (“cluster”) (dialectal) * Icelandic klasi (“cluster; bunch of grapes”) * Low German Kluuster (“cluster”) * Swedish kluster (“cluster”)

This word in other languages

aglomeración(Español)groupe(Français)Anhäufung(Deutsch)aglomerado(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • ccluster
  • clluster
  • clsuter
  • clusetr
  • clusster
  • clusterr
  • clustre
  • clustter
  • clutser
  • culster
  • lcuster

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of cluster - 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.

ccluster1clluster1clsuter2clusetr2clusster1clusterr1clustre2clustter1
Edit distance from "cluster"

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 "cluster"?
"cluster" is spelled C-L-U-S-T-E-R. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈklʌstə/.
What does "cluster" mean?
As a noun, "cluster" means: A bunch or group of several discrete items that are close to each other.
What words are commonly confused with "cluster"?
"cluster" is commonly confused with "cutter", "coaster", "clutter". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "cluster"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "cluster" is /ˈklʌstə/. 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 "cluster"?
The noun is derived from Middle English cluster (“bunch, cluster, spray; compact body or mass, ball”) [and other forms], from Old English cluster, clyster (“cluster, bunch, branch”), from Proto-Germanic *klas-, *klus- (“to clump, lump together”) (... 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 "cluster", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

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

cracked#7,211digging#7,217evident#7,220wonders#7,192

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (11 here; floor ≥5).

Brussels11 variantsextends11 variantsfailures11 variantsfreight11 variants

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list