console
/ˈkɒn.səʊl/
"console" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“console” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #6,227 in English word frequency and used as a noun.
- #6,227
- frequency rank, English
- 7
- letters
- 10
- tracked misspellings
- 5
- confusable pairs
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 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.
Visual similarity to commonly confused words
How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).
Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | console |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Noun |
| IPA | /ˈkɒn.səʊl/ |
| Letters | 7 |
| Frequency rank | #6,227 |
| Misspellings tracked | 10 |
| Confusable pairs | 5 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Where “console” sits in English frequency
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
The English entry for console is 7 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈkɒn.səʊl/. Corpus data places it at rank #6,227 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 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
- 1A stand-alone cabinet designed to stand on the floor; especially, one integrated with home entertainment equipment, such as a TV or stereo system.
- 2A desk-like cabinet, table, or stand upon which controls, instruments, and displays are mounted.
- 3An instrument with displays and an input device that is used to monitor and control an electronic system.
- 4An instrument with displays and an input device that is used to monitor and control an electronic system.
- 5An instrument with displays and an input device that is used to monitor and control an electronic system.
- 6A storage tray or container mounted between the seats of an automobile.
- 7An ornamental member jutting out of a wall to carry a superincumbent weight, often S-shaped.
- 8A cantilever.
- 9A decorative frame or support (in architecture, drawings, etc) around a heraldic shield.
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.
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
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Using “console”
The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.
- The one correct English spelling is C-O-N-S-O-L-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
- Say it as /ˈkɒn.səʊl/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
- Don't mix it up with “consul” - see the side-by-side comparison. console vs consul
- 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.