coin

/kɔɪn/

//kɔɪn// noun

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

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

The verdict

“coin” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #5,201 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#5,201
frequency rank, English
4
letters
5
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A piece of currency, usually metallic and in the shape of a disc, but sometimes polygonal, or with a hole in the middle.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

coin vs cop
50% similar
coin vs con
75% similar
coin vs cow
50% similar

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

Key facts for coin
PropertyValue
Headwordcoin
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/kɔɪn/
Letters4
Frequency rank#5,201
Misspellings tracked5
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “coin” 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). coin 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 coin is 4 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /kɔɪn/. Corpus data places it at rank #5,201 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 9 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 coin, with forms such as "ccoin", "cion", and "coinn". 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 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 coyn, from Old French coigne (“wedge, cornerstone, die for stamping”), from Latin cuneus (“wedge”). Doublet of coign and cuneus. See also quoin (“cornerstone”). Displaced Middle English mynt, from Old English mynet (whence modern English… The correct English form is coin, spelled C-O-I-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    A piece of currency, usually metallic and in the shape of a disc, but sometimes polygonal, or with a hole in the middle.
  2. 2
    A token used in a special establishment like a casino.
  3. 3
    That which serves for payment or recompense.
  4. 4
    Something in broad circulation or use.
  5. 5
    Money in general, not limited to coins.
  6. 6
    One of the suits of minor arcana in tarot, or a card of that suit.
  7. 7
    A corner or external angle.
  8. 8
    A small circular slice of food.
  9. 9
    Ellipsis of cryptocoin; a cryptocurrency.

Etymology

From Middle English coyn, from Old French coigne (“wedge, cornerstone, die for stamping”), from Latin cuneus (“wedge”). Doublet of coign and cuneus. See also quoin (“cornerstone”). Displaced Middle English mynt, from Old English mynet (whence modern English mint), which was derived from Latin monēta.

This word in other languages

moneda(Español)pièce de monnaie(Français)Münze(Deutsch)moeda(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: ccoin,cion,coinn,coni,ocin

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

ccoin1cion2coinn1coni2ocin2
Edit distance from "coin"

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 "coin"?
"coin" is spelled C-O-I-N. The IPA pronunciation is /kɔɪn/.
What does "coin" mean?
As a noun, "coin" means: A piece of currency, usually metallic and in the shape of a disc, but sometimes polygonal, or with a hole in the middle.
What words are commonly confused with "coin"?
"coin" 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 "coin"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "coin" is /kɔɪn/. 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 "coin"?
From Middle English coyn, from Old French coigne (“wedge, cornerstone, die for stamping”), from Latin cuneus (“wedge”). Doublet of coign and cuneus. See also quoin (“cornerstone”). Displaced Middle English mynt, from Old English mynet (whence mode... 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 “coin”

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

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