coat

Name: coat, English Word Data
Creator: Wiktionary
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

/ˈkoʊ̯t/

//ˈkoʊ̯t// noun

By PlainSpell Editorial Team · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) · analyzed May 6, 2026

The verdict

“coat” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #3,867 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#3,867
frequency rank, English: 4
letters: 5
tracked misspellings: 20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - An outer garment covering the upper torso and arms.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

coat vs CT

0% similar

coat vs cut

50% similar

coat vs cop

50% similar

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

Key facts for coat
Property	Value
Headword	coat
Language	English
Part of speech	Noun
IPA	/ˈkoʊ̯t/
Letters	4
Frequency rank	#3,867
Misspellings tracked	5
Confusable pairs	20
Source	Wiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “coat” 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). coat lands here:

#3,867

#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 coat is 4 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈkoʊ̯t/. Corpus data places it at rank #3,867 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 8 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 5 likely wrong-spelling variants for coat, with forms such as "caot", "ccoat", and "coatt". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "CT", "cut", "cop", 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 cote, coate, cotte, from Old French cote, cotte (“outer garment with sleeves”), from Latin cotta (“undercoat, tunic”), from Proto-Germanic *kuttô, *kuttǭ (“cowl, woolen cloth, coat”), from Proto-Indo-European *gʷewd-, *gud- (“woolen clot… The correct English form is coat, spelled C-O-A-T.

Definition

1
An outer garment covering the upper torso and arms.
2
A covering of material, such as paint.
3
The fur or feathers covering an animal's skin.
4
Canvas painted with thick tar and secured round a mast or bowsprit to prevent water running down the sides into the hold (now made of rubber or leather).
5
A petticoat.
6
The habit or vesture of an order of men, indicating the order or office; cloth.
7
A coat of arms.
8
A coat card.

Etymology

From Middle English cote, coate, cotte, from Old French cote, cotte (“outer garment with sleeves”), from Latin cotta (“undercoat, tunic”), from Proto-Germanic *kuttô, *kuttǭ (“cowl, woolen cloth, coat”), from Proto-Indo-European *gʷewd-, *gud- (“woolen clothes”). Cognate with Old High German kozza, kozzo (“woolen coat”) (German Kotze (“coarse woolen blanket; woolen cape”)), Middle Low German kot (“coat”), Middle Dutch cote (“coat”), Ancient Greek βεῦδος (beûdos, “woman's attire”).

This word in other languages

abrigo(Español)manteau(Français)Mantel(Deutsch)casaco(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: caot,ccoat,coatt,cota,ocat

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

Edit distance from "coat"

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 "coat"?

"coat" is spelled C-O-A-T. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈkoʊ̯t/.

What does "coat" mean?

As a noun, "coat" means: An outer garment covering the upper torso and arms.

What words are commonly confused with "coat"?

"coat" is commonly confused with "CT", "cut", "cop". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.

How do you pronounce "coat"?

The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "coat" is /ˈkoʊ̯t/. 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 "coat"?

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 “coat”

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

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