cordial

/ˈkɔː.di.əl/

//ˈkɔː.di.əl// adj

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

The verdict

“cordial” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #25,335 in English word frequency and used as an adjective.

#25,335
frequency rank, English
7
letters
10
tracked misspellings
9
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Hearty; sincere; warm; affectionate.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

cordial vs corral
71% similar
cordial vs corneal
71% similar
cordial vs coronal
71% similar

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

Key facts for cordial
PropertyValue
Headwordcordial
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ˈkɔː.di.əl/
Letters7
Frequency rank#25,335
Misspellings tracked10
Confusable pairs9
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “cordial” 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). cordial lands here:

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

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

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for cordial is 7 letters long, classified as an adjective, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈkɔː.di.əl/. Corpus data places it at rank #25,335 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 4 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 cordial, with forms such as "ccordial", "codrial", and "cordail". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 9 confusable-pair relationships, "corral", "corneal", "coronal", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: Inherited from Middle English cordial, from Old French cordial, from Medieval Latin cordiālis (“of the heart”), from cor (“heart”). The correct English form is cordial, spelled C-O-R-D-I-A-L.

Definition

  1. 1
    Hearty; sincere; warm; affectionate.
  2. 2
    Radiating warmth and friendliness; genial.
  3. 3
    Tending to revive, cheer, or invigorate; giving strength or spirits.
  4. 4
    Proceeding from the heart.

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English cordial, from Old French cordial, from Medieval Latin cordiālis (“of the heart”), from cor (“heart”).

Synonyms

This word in other languages

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: ccordial,codrial,cordail,corddial,cordiall,cordila,coridal,corrdial,crodial,ocrdial

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

ccordial1codrial2cordail2corddial1cordiall1cordila2coridal2corrdial1
Edit distance from "cordial"

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 "cordial"?
"cordial" is spelled C-O-R-D-I-A-L. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈkɔː.di.əl/.
What does "cordial" mean?
As an adjective, "cordial" means: Hearty; sincere; warm; affectionate.
What words are commonly confused with "cordial"?
"cordial" is commonly confused with "corral", "corneal", "coronal". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "cordial"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "cordial" is /ˈkɔː.di.əl/. 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 "cordial"?
Inherited from Middle English cordial, from Old French cordial, from Medieval Latin cordiālis (“of the heart”), from cor (“heart”). 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 “cordial”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is C-O-R-D-I-A-L - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈkɔː.di.əl/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “corral” - see the side-by-side comparison. cordial vs corral
  • 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.

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list