Colfax

/ˈkoʊlfæks/

//ˈkoʊlfæks// name

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

"colfax" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“Colfax” is uncommon English (frequency #51,027 among 43,570 “C” headwords), classed as a proper noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#51,027
frequency rank, English
43,570
“C” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - An English surname.

Key facts for Colfax
PropertyValue
HeadwordColfax
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechProper noun
IPA/ˈkoʊlfæks/
Letters6
Frequency rank#51,027
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “Colfax” 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). Colfax lands here:

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

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

Rare enough to double-check

Colfax is uncommon English at frequency #51,027 among 43,570 “C” headwords, classed as aproper noun, transcribed /ˈkoʊlfæks/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 15 senses are on record.

Colfax has no tracked misspelling variants, a straightforward case of a spelling with little room for common typos. No close-neighbour confusable shows up for this headword in our dataset, since its spelling is unusual enough that it doesn't cluster with a lookalike.

Etymologically, the entry records: From coal + fox, describing a fox with black marks. The correct English form is Colfax, spelled C-O-L-F-A-X.

Definition

  1. 1
    An English surname.
  2. 2
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  15. 15
    A community in Saskatchewan, Canada; named for the city in Iowa.

Etymology

From coal + fox, describing a fox with black marks.

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 "Colfax"?
"Colfax" is spelled C-O-L-F-A-X. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈkoʊlfæks/.
What does "Colfax" mean?
As a proper noun, "Colfax" means: An English surname.
How do you pronounce "Colfax"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "Colfax" is /ˈkoʊlfæks/. 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 "Colfax"?
From coal + fox, describing a fox with black marks. 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 “Colfax”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is C-O-L-F-A-X - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈkoʊlfæks/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words

Other uncommon English words near this rank

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