crude

/kɹuːd/

//kɹuːd// adj

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

"crude" is a 5-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“crude” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #7,115 in English word frequency and used as an adjective.

#7,115
frequency rank, English
5
letters
7
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - In a natural, untreated state.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

crude vs cue
60% similar
crude vs cute
60% similar
crude vs cure
60% similar

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

Key facts for crude
PropertyValue
Headwordcrude
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/kɹuːd/
Letters5
Frequency rank#7,115
Misspellings tracked7
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “crude” 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). crude 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 crude is 5 letters long, classified as an adjective, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /kɹuːd/. Corpus data places it at rank #7,115 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 8 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 7 likely wrong-spelling variants for crude, with forms such as "ccrude", "crdue", and "crrude". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "cue", "cute", "cure", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English crude, borrowed from Latin crūdus (“raw, bloody, uncooked, undigested, crude”). Doublet of crudo, from Italian. Cognate with Old English hrēaw (“raw, uncooked”) via Proto-Indo-European *krewh₂- (“raw blood”); more at raw. The correct English form is crude, spelled C-R-U-D-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    In a natural, untreated state.
  2. 2
    Characterized by simplicity, especially something not carefully or expertly made.
  3. 3
    Lacking concealing elements.
  4. 4
    Lacking tact or taste.
  5. 5
    Not adjusted or further analyzed.
  6. 6
    Immature or unripe.
  7. 7
    Uncooked, raw.
  8. 8
    Pertaining to the uninflected stem of a word.

Etymology

From Middle English crude, borrowed from Latin crūdus (“raw, bloody, uncooked, undigested, crude”). Doublet of crudo, from Italian. Cognate with Old English hrēaw (“raw, uncooked”) via Proto-Indo-European *krewh₂- (“raw blood”); more at raw.

Synonyms

crudeprimitiveroughruderudimentalrudimentaryundevelopedunrefined

Antonyms

refinedprocessedadvanceddevelopedsophisticated

This word in other languages

crudo(Español)cru(Français)roh(Deutsch)cru(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: ccrude,crdue,crrude,crudde,crued,curde,rcude

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of crude - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

ccrude1crdue2crrude1crudde1crued2curde2rcude2
Edit distance from "crude"

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 "crude"?
"crude" is spelled C-R-U-D-E. The IPA pronunciation is /kɹuːd/.
What does "crude" mean?
As an adjective, "crude" means: In a natural, untreated state.
What words are commonly confused with "crude"?
"crude" is commonly confused with "cue", "cute", "cure". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "crude"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "crude" is /kɹuːd/. 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 "crude"?
From Middle English crude, borrowed from Latin crūdus (“raw, bloody, uncooked, undigested, crude”). Doublet of crudo, from Italian. Cognate with Old English hrēaw (“raw, uncooked”) via Proto-Indo-European *krewh₂- (“raw blood”); more at raw. 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 “crude”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is C-R-U-D-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /kɹuːd/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “cue” - see the side-by-side comparison. crude vs cue
  • 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