crocodile

/ˈkɹɑkədaɪl/

//ˈkɹɑkədaɪl// noun

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

"crocodile" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“crocodile” has 13 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #15,139. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#15,139
frequency rank, English
43,570
“C” headwords
13
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Any of the predatory amphibious reptiles of the family Crocodylidae; (loosely) a crocodilian, any species of the order Crocodilia, which also includes the alligators, caimans and gavials.

Key facts for crocodile
PropertyValue
Headwordcrocodile
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈkɹɑkədaɪl/
Letters9
Frequency rank#15,139
Misspellings tracked13
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “crocodile” 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). crocodile lands here:

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

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

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 13 spelling variants around crocodile (IPA /ˈkɹɑkədaɪl/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #15,139 among 43,570 “C” headwords. Wiktionary lists 4 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 13 likely wrong-spelling variants for crocodile, with forms such as "ccrocodile", "corcodile", and "crcoodile". 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. No confusable counterpart is on file for this word, since no other headword is close enough in sound or shape to pair with it.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English cocodrill, cokadrill, cokedril, from Old French cocodril (modern French crocodile), from Medieval Latin cocodrillus, from Latin crocodilus, from Ancient Greek κροκόδειλος (krokódeilos). The word was later refashioned after the Latin and … The correct English form is crocodile, spelled C-R-O-C-O-D-I-L-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    Any of the predatory amphibious reptiles of the family Crocodylidae; (loosely) a crocodilian, any species of the order Crocodilia, which also includes the alligators, caimans and gavials.
  2. 2
    A long line or procession of people (especially children) walking together.
  3. 3
    A fallacious dilemma, mythically supposed to have been first used by a crocodile.
  4. 4
    greedy or corrupt person (especially a politician or any public official)

Etymology

From Middle English cocodrill, cokadrill, cokedril, from Old French cocodril (modern French crocodile), from Medieval Latin cocodrillus, from Latin crocodilus, from Ancient Greek κροκόδειλος (krokódeilos). The word was later refashioned after the Latin and Greek forms. Doublet of krokodil.

Synonyms

croc

This word in other languages

cocodrilo(Español)crocodile(Français)Krokodil(Deutsch)crocodilo(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • ccrocodile
  • corcodile
  • crcoodile
  • croccodile
  • crocdoile
  • crocoddile
  • crocodiel
  • crocodille
  • crocodlie
  • crocoidle
  • croocdile
  • crrocodile
  • rcocodile

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

ccrocodile1corcodile2crcoodile2croccodile1crocdoile2crocoddile1crocodiel2crocodille1
Edit distance from "crocodile"

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 "crocodile"?
"crocodile" is spelled C-R-O-C-O-D-I-L-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈkɹɑkədaɪl/.
What does "crocodile" mean?
As a noun, "crocodile" means: Any of the predatory amphibious reptiles of the family Crocodylidae; (loosely) a crocodilian, any species of the order Crocodilia, which also includes the alligators, caimans and gavials.
What are common misspellings of "crocodile"?
Common misspellings include "ccrocodile", "corcodile", "crcoodile", "croccodile", "crocdoile". The correct spelling is "crocodile".
How do you pronounce "crocodile"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "crocodile" is /ˈkɹɑkədaɪl/. 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 "crocodile"?
From Middle English cocodrill, cokadrill, cokedril, from Old French cocodril (modern French crocodile), from Medieval Latin cocodrillus, from Latin crocodilus, from Ancient Greek κροκόδειλος (krokódeilos). The word was later refashioned after the ... 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 “crocodile”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is C-R-O-C-O-D-I-L-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈkɹɑkədaɪl/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words

Same frequency band

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