console

/ˈkɒn.səʊl/

//ˈkɒn.səʊl// noun

"console" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“console” has 10 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #6,227. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#6,227
frequency rank, English
5,599
“C” headwords
10
tracked misspellings
5
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - A stand-alone cabinet designed to stand on the floor; especially, one integrated with home entertainment equipment, such as a TV or stereo system.

Corpus desk

Index EN-console · console · English

console · rank #6,227 · 10 variants · 5 confusables

  • FREQ-COMMON #6,227
  • LEN-LONG 7 letters
  • VOW-3 3 vowels
  • CONFUS-MID 5 pairs
  • VAR-MID 10 variants
  • BOOK-DENSE 5,599
  • PHOTO-FINISH confirmation

Nearest frequency peer: confirmation (-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 “console”

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

corpus weight

What this shows Bars show where “console” 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).

console vs consul
71% similar
console vs consume
71% similar
console vs consult
71% similar

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

Key facts for console
PropertyValue
Headwordconsole
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈkɒn.səʊl/
Letters7
Frequency rank#6,227
Misspellings tracked10
Confusable pairs5
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “console” sits in English frequency

Word frequency stretches from the small set of words we reach for constantly (left) out to the long tail barely used once in a while (right).consolelands here:

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

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Same rarity band neighbours include “confirmation” (#6,226), “contractor” (#6,228), “comparable” (#6,225). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 10 spelling variants around console (IPA /ˈkɒn.səʊl/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #6,227 among 5,599 “C” headwords. Wiktionary lists 9 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 10 likely wrong-spelling variants for console, with forms such as "cconsole", "cnosole", and "connsole". 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 5 confusable-pair relationships, "consul", "consume", "consult", and more, since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowed from French console (“bracket”, noun), from consoler (“to console, to comfort”, verb). Sense of “bracket” either due to a bracket alleviating the load, or due to brackets being decorated with the Christian figure of a consolateur (“consoler”), itse… The correct English form is console, spelled C-O-N-S-O-L-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    A stand-alone cabinet designed to stand on the floor; especially, one integrated with home entertainment equipment, such as a TV or stereo system.
  2. 2
    A desk-like cabinet, table, or stand upon which controls, instruments, and displays are mounted.
  3. 3
    An instrument with displays and an input device that is used to monitor and control an electronic system.
  4. 4
    An instrument with displays and an input device that is used to monitor and control an electronic system.
  5. 5
    An instrument with displays and an input device that is used to monitor and control an electronic system.
  6. 6
    A storage tray or container mounted between the seats of an automobile.
  7. 7
    An ornamental member jutting out of a wall to carry a superincumbent weight, often S-shaped.
  8. 8
    A cantilever.
  9. 9
    A decorative frame or support (in architecture, drawings, etc) around a heraldic shield.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. The film's music blared from the console.
  2. The operating console of the new Glasgow Central cabin is divided into four sections, each at an angle to each other and each of which is normally under one signalman's control; [...]

Etymology

Borrowed from French console (“bracket”, noun), from consoler (“to console, to comfort”, verb). Sense of “bracket” either due to a bracket alleviating the load, or due to brackets being decorated with the Christian figure of a consolateur (“consoler”), itself perhaps a pun on the first sense (alleviating load). Originally used for the bracket itself, then for wall-mounted tables (mounted with a bracket), then for free-standing tables placed against a wall. Use for control system dates at least to 1880s for an “organ console”; use for electrical or electronic control systems dates at least to 1930s in radio, television, and system control, particularly as “mixer console” or “control console”, attached to an equipment rack. This was popularized in computers by mainframes such as the IBM 704 (1954) in terms such as “operator’s console” or “console typewriter”, and then generalized to any attached equipment, particularly for user interaction. The automotive sense harks back to earlier use as “support”.

This word in other languages

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • cconsole
  • cnosole
  • connsole
  • conosle
  • consloe
  • consoel
  • consolle
  • conssole
  • cosnole
  • ocnsole

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

cconsole1cnosole2connsole1conosle2consloe2consoel2consolle1conssole1
Edit distance from "console"

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 "console"?
"console" is spelled C-O-N-S-O-L-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈkɒn.səʊl/.
What does "console" mean?
As a noun, "console" means: A stand-alone cabinet designed to stand on the floor; especially, one integrated with home entertainment equipment, such as a TV or stereo system.
What words are commonly confused with "console"?
"console" is commonly confused with "consul", "consume", "consult". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "console"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "console" is /ˈkɒn.səʊl/. 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 "console"?
Borrowed from French console (“bracket”, noun), from consoler (“to console, to comfort”, verb). Sense of “bracket” either due to a bracket alleviating the load, or due to brackets being decorated with the Christian figure of a consolateur (“consol... 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 "console", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 7 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (10 here; floor ≥5).

What to do next

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

  • "console" maps to 5 confusable pairs in this vintage; the highest-scored is "consul". View pair
  • 10 edit-distance misspelling variants are generated for spell-check research on this headword. See variants
  • Usage frequency rank #6,227 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