cordon

/ˈkɔː(ɹ)dən/

//ˈkɔː(ɹ)dən// noun

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

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

The verdict

“cordon” has 9 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #24,126. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#24,126
frequency rank, English
5,599
“C” headwords
9
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - A ribbon normally worn diagonally across the chest as a decoration or insignia of rank etc.

Corpus desk

Index EN-cordon · cordon · English

cordon · rank #24,126 · 9 variants · 20 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #24,126
  • LEN-LONG 6 letters
  • VOW-2 2 vowels
  • CONFUS-HIGH 20 pairs
  • VAR-MID 9 variants
  • BOOK-DENSE 5,599
  • PHOTO-FINISH Corbin

Nearest frequency peer: Corbin (-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 “cordon”

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

corpus weight

What this shows “cordon” 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).

cordon vs corn
67% similar
cordon vs cords
67% similar
cordon vs Corso
50% similar

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

Key facts for cordon
PropertyValue
Headwordcordon
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈkɔː(ɹ)dən/
Letters6
Frequency rank#24,126
Misspellings tracked9
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “cordon”

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).cordonlands here:

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

The axis is logarithmic, with each marked tick roughly ten times rarer than the last. Same rarity band neighbours include “Corbin” (#24,125), “coulter” (#24,127), “cram” (#24,128). Among 5,599 “C” headwords, “cordon” is #24,126. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 9 spelling variants around cordon (IPA /ˈkɔː(ɹ)dən/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #24,126 among 5,599 “C” headwords. Wiktionary lists 4 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 9 likely wrong-spelling variants for cordon, with forms such as "ccordon", "codron", and "corddon". 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 20 confusable-pair relationships, "corn", "cords", "Corso", and more, since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English cordon, from Middle French cordon, from Old French cordon, diminutive of corde. More at cord. The correct English form is cordon, spelled C-O-R-D-O-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    A ribbon normally worn diagonally across the chest as a decoration or insignia of rank etc.
  2. 2
    A line of people or things placed around an area to enclose or protect it.
  3. 3
    The arc of fielders on the off side, behind the batsman: the slips and gully.
  4. 4
    A woody plant, such as a fruit tree, pruned and trained to grow as a single stem on a support.

Etymology

From Middle English cordon, from Middle French cordon, from Old French cordon, diminutive of corde. More at cord.

This word in other languages

Kordon(Deutsch)cordão(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • ccordon
  • codron
  • corddon
  • cordno
  • cordonn
  • corodn
  • corrdon
  • crodon
  • ocrdon

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

ccordon1codron2corddon1cordno2cordonn1corodn2corrdon1crodon2
Edit distance from "cordon"

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 "cordon"?
"cordon" is spelled C-O-R-D-O-N. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈkɔː(ɹ)dən/.
What does "cordon" mean?
As a noun, "cordon" means: A ribbon normally worn diagonally across the chest as a decoration or insignia of rank etc.
What words are commonly confused with "cordon"?
"cordon" is commonly confused with "corn", "cords", "Corso". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "cordon"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "cordon" is /ˈkɔː(ɹ)dən/. 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 "cordon"?
From Middle English cordon, from Middle French cordon, from Old French cordon, diminutive of corde. More at cord. 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 "cordon", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

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

Corbin#24,125crazed#24,130cuckoo#24,132cuddly#24,133

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (9 here; floor ≥5).

Carney9 variantscantor9 variantsbullish9 variantsbugging9 variants

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list