code

/kəʊd/

//kəʊd// noun

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

"code" is a 4-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“code” sits in 20 confusable pairs (corpus #863) as a noun. The look-alike neighbours are the real trap.

#863
frequency rank, English
5,599
“C” headwords
4
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - A short textual designation, often with little relation to the item it represents.

Corpus desk

Index EN-code · code · English

code · rank #863 · 4 variants · 20 confusables

  • FREQ-CORE #863
  • LEN-MID 4 letters
  • VOW-2 2 vowels
  • CONFUS-HIGH 20 pairs
  • VAR-LOW 4 variants
  • BOOK-DENSE 5,599
  • PHOTO-FINISH choice

Nearest frequency peer: choice (-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.

Frequency neighbourhood for “code”

Lower corpus rank = more everyday usage (inverted bar length for readability)

corpus weight

What this shows Bars show where “code” sits against the nearest ranked English headwords in the FrequencyWords band, not a reprint of letter-browse containment.

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).

code vs cop
50% similar
code vs con
50% similar
code vs cow
50% similar

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

Key facts for code
PropertyValue
Headwordcode
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/kəʊd/
Letters4
Frequency rank#863
Misspellings tracked4
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “code” 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). code lands here:

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

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Easy to mix with look-alikes

The spelling risk for code is neighbouring look-alikes ("cop", "con", …), not just typos; it is anoun pronounced /kəʊd/. Frequency #863 among 5,599 “C” headwords. 12 recorded senses keep meaning in play.

Our generated misspelling index lists 4 likely wrong-spelling variants for code, with forms such as "ccode", "cdoe", and "codde". 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, "cop", "con", "cow", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English code (“system of law”), from Old French code (“system of law”), from Latin cōdex, later form of caudex (“the stock or stem of a tree, a board or tablet of wood smeared over with wax, on which the ancients originally wrote; hence, a book,… The correct English form is code, spelled C-O-D-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    A short textual designation, often with little relation to the item it represents.
  2. 2
    A body of law, sanctioned by legislation, in which the rules of law to be specifically applied by the courts are set forth in systematic form; a compilation of laws by public authority; a digest.
  3. 3
    Any system of principles, rules or regulations relating to one subject.
  4. 4
    A set of rules for converting information into another form or representation.
  5. 5
    A set of rules for converting information into another form or representation.
  6. 6
    A message represented by rules intended to conceal its meaning.
  7. 7
    A cryptographic system using a codebook that converts words or phrases into codewords.
  8. 8
    Instructions for a computer, written in a programming language; the input of a translator, an interpreter or a browser, namely: source code, machine code, bytecode.
  9. 9
    A program.
  10. 10
    A particular lect or language variety.
  11. 11
    An emergency requiring situation-trained members of the staff.
  12. 12
    A set of unwritten rules that bind a social group.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. This flavour of soup has been assigned the code WRT-9.
  2. the mild and impartial spirit which pervades the Code compiled under Canute

Etymology

From Middle English code (“system of law”), from Old French code (“system of law”), from Latin cōdex, later form of caudex (“the stock or stem of a tree, a board or tablet of wood smeared over with wax, on which the ancients originally wrote; hence, a book, a writing.”). Doublet of codex. Verb etymology 1 sense 7 is an ellipsis of code blue (“medical emergency”).

This word in other languages

código(Español)code(Français)Kodex(Deutsch)código(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • ccode
  • cdoe
  • codde
  • ocde

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

ccode1cdoe2codde1ocde2
Edit distance from "code"

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.

PlainSpell is rendered directly from structured Wiktionary extracts and open word-frequency lists, no number is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of September 3, 2026. Primary sources: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) and FrequencyWords.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "code"?
"code" is spelled C-O-D-E. The IPA pronunciation is /kəʊd/.
What does "code" mean?
As a noun, "code" means: A short textual designation, often with little relation to the item it represents.
What words are commonly confused with "code"?
"code" is commonly confused with "cop", "con", "cow". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "code"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "code" is /kəʊd/. 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 "code"?
From Middle English code (“system of law”), from Old French code (“system of law”), from Latin cōdex, later form of caudex (“the stock or stem of a tree, a board or tablet of wood smeared over with wax, on which the ancients originally wrote; henc... 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 "code", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 4 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

door#869poor#855kill#852hair#876

What to do next

You've looked up "code". Here's where to go from here.

  • "code" maps to 20 confusable pairs in this vintage; the highest-scored is "cop". View pair
  • 4 edit-distance misspelling variants are generated for spell-check research on this headword. See variants
  • Usage frequency rank #863 among English headwords in this corpus. Corpus statistics
  • Browse more English words in the "C" letter cohort. C–Z browse
  • PlainSpell rotates a curated Word of the Day from the English corpus, a passive way to discover vocabulary. Word of the Day

PlainSpell is a reference corpus, not spelling advice. Verify unusual forms in context.

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