comatose

/ˈkəʊ.məˌtoʊs/

//ˈkəʊ.məˌtoʊs// adj

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

"comatose" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“comatose” has 11 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #36,494. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#36,494
frequency rank, English
5,599
“C” headwords
11
tracked misspellings
1
confusable pair

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - In a coma: unconscious.

Corpus desk

Index EN-comatose · comatose · English

comatose · rank #36,494 · 11 variants · 1 confusable

  • FREQ-MID #36,494
  • LEN-LONG 8 letters
  • VOW-4 4 vowels
  • CONFUS-LOW 1 pairs
  • VAR-MID 11 variants
  • BOOK-DENSE 5,599
  • PHOTO-FINISH Comanche

Nearest frequency peer: Comanche (-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 “comatose”

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

corpus weight

What this shows “comatose” 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).

comatose vs compose
75% similar

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

Key facts for comatose
PropertyValue
Headwordcomatose
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ˈkəʊ.məˌtoʊs/
Letters8
Frequency rank#36,494
Misspellings tracked11
Confusable pairs1
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “comatose”

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).comatoselands here:

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

Ticks step logarithmically, so each one marks a roughly tenfold drop in how often the word turns up. Same rarity band neighbours include “Comanche” (#36,493), “comforter” (#36,495), “cocker” (#36,492). Among 5,599 “C” headwords, “comatose” is #36,494. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 11 spelling variants around comatose (IPA /ˈkəʊ.məˌtoʊs/), anadjective. Corpus frequency is #36,494 among 5,599 “C” headwords. Wiktionary lists 3 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 11 likely wrong-spelling variants for comatose, with forms such as "ccomatose", "cmoatose", and "coamtose". 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 1 confusable-pair relationship, "compose", a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: * perhaps from French comateux * From Ancient Greek κῶμα (kôma, “deep sleep”) (genitive κώματος (kṓmatos)). Equivalent to coma + -ose (“full of”) The correct English form is comatose, spelled C-O-M-A-T-O-S-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    In a coma: unconscious.
  2. 2
    Drowsy or lethargic.
  3. 3
    Fast asleep.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. the patient was comatose for 2 weeks before finally passing away.
  2. Weary of big Sunday dinners that leave you feeling comatose (and result in your having to spend Sunday evening scrubbing the kitchen)?

Etymology

* perhaps from French comateux * From Ancient Greek κῶμα (kôma, “deep sleep”) (genitive κώματος (kṓmatos)). Equivalent to coma + -ose (“full of”)

This word in other languages

comatoso(Español)comateux(Français)komatös(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • ccomatose
  • cmoatose
  • coamtose
  • comaotse
  • comatoes
  • comatosse
  • comatsoe
  • comattose
  • commatose
  • comtaose
  • ocmatose

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

ccomatose1cmoatose2coamtose2comaotse2comatoes2comatosse1comatsoe2comattose1
Edit distance from "comatose"

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 "comatose"?
"comatose" is spelled C-O-M-A-T-O-S-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈkəʊ.məˌtoʊs/.
What does "comatose" mean?
As an adjective, "comatose" means: In a coma: unconscious.
What words are commonly confused with "comatose"?
"comatose" is commonly confused with "compose". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "comatose"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "comatose" is /ˈkəʊ.məˌtoʊs/. 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 "comatose"?
* perhaps from French comateux * From Ancient Greek κῶμα (kôma, “deep sleep”) (genitive κώματος (kṓmatos)). Equivalent to coma + -ose (“full of”) 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 "comatose", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 8 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

Comanche#36,493citywide#36,490conclave#36,498conspire#36,501

Similar misspelling depth

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

cramming11 variantscrawler11 variantscaucuses11 variantsbrahmin11 variants

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list