comber

/ˈkəʊmə/

//ˈkəʊmə// noun

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

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

The verdict

“comber” is uncommon English (frequency #83,128 among 5,599 “C” headwords), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#83,128
frequency rank, English
5,599
“C” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - A person who combs wool, etc.

Corpus desk

Index EN-comber · comber · English

comber · rank #83,128 · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-RARE #83,128
  • LEN-LONG 6 letters
  • VOW-2 2 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-DENSE 5,599
  • PHOTO-FINISH coit

Nearest frequency peer: coit (-3 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.

Long-tail ranks near “comber”

Sparse band: bars invert rank so rarer forms read shorter

corpus weight

What this shows Long-tail view: where “comber” sits against similarly uncommon English ranks.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for comber
PropertyValue
Headwordcomber
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈkəʊmə/
Letters6
Frequency rank#83,128
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “comber” in English

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).comberfalls in this rarity band:

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

The axis is logarithmic, with each marked tick roughly ten times rarer than the last. Rare peers in the same band: “coit” (#83,125), “comity” (#83,132), “codifying” (#83,123). Among 5,599 “C” headwords, “comber” is #83,128. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

comber is uncommon English at frequency #83,128 among 5,599 “C” headwords, classed as anoun, transcribed /ˈkəʊmə/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 3 senses are on record.

No generated misspelling entries exist for comber in our index, since its letter sequence doesn't invite the usual edit-distance slips. No confusable counterpart is on file for this word, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English comber, camber, equivalent to comb + -er. The correct English form is comber, spelled C-O-M-B-E-R.

Definition

  1. 1
    A person who combs wool, etc.
  2. 2
    A machine that combs wool, etc.
  3. 3
    A long, curving wave breaking on the shore.

Recorded use

Wiktionary example

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

  1. The mighty combers crashed down with long echoing reverberations like the roar of great cannons, followed by the ominous swish of broken water rushing across the reef in mad clouds of foam and spray.

Etymology

From Middle English comber, camber, equivalent to comb + -er.

Synonyms

breaker

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 "comber"?
"comber" is spelled C-O-M-B-E-R. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈkəʊmə/.
What does "comber" mean?
As a noun, "comber" means: A person who combs wool, etc.
How do you pronounce "comber"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "comber" is /ˈkəʊmə/. 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 "comber"?
From Middle English comber, camber, equivalent to comb + -er. 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 "comber", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 6 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

comity#83,132cloche#83,121bunion#83,082dither#83,191

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list