custody

/ˈkʌstədiː/

//ˈkʌstədiː// noun

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

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

The verdict

“custody” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #4,934 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#4,934
frequency rank, English
7
letters
11
tracked misspellings
2
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - The legal right to take care of something or somebody, especially children.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

custody vs custom
71% similar
custody vs customs
71% similar

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

Key facts for custody
PropertyValue
Headwordcustody
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈkʌstədiː/
Letters7
Frequency rank#4,934
Misspellings tracked11
Confusable pairs2
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “custody” 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). custody 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 custody is 7 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈkʌstədiː/. Corpus data places it at rank #4,934 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 4 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 11 likely wrong-spelling variants for custody, with forms such as "ccustody", "csutody", and "cusotdy". 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 2 confusable-pair relationships, "custom", "customs", since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowed from Latin custōdia (“a keeping, watch, guard, prison”), from custōs (“a keeper, watchman, guard”). Doublet of custode. The correct English form is custody, spelled C-U-S-T-O-D-Y.

Definition

  1. 1
    The legal right to take care of something or somebody, especially children.
  2. 2
    Temporary possession or care of somebody else's property.
  3. 3
    The state of being imprisoned or detained, usually pending a trial.
  4. 4
    An area under the jurisdiction of a custos within the Order of Friars Minor.

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin custōdia (“a keeping, watch, guard, prison”), from custōs (“a keeper, watchman, guard”). Doublet of custode.

This word in other languages

custodia(Español)garde(Français)Sorgerecht(Deutsch)custódia(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: ccustody,csutody,cusotdy,cusstody,custdoy,custoddy,custodyy,custoyd,custtody,cutsody,ucstody

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

ccustody1csutody2cusotdy2cusstody1custdoy2custoddy1custodyy1custoyd2
Edit distance from "custody"

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 "custody"?
"custody" is spelled C-U-S-T-O-D-Y. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈkʌstədiː/.
What does "custody" mean?
As a noun, "custody" means: The legal right to take care of something or somebody, especially children.
What words are commonly confused with "custody"?
"custody" is commonly confused with "custom", "customs". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "custody"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "custody" is /ˈkʌstədiː/. 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 "custody"?
Borrowed from Latin custōdia (“a keeping, watch, guard, prison”), from custōs (“a keeper, watchman, guard”). Doublet of custode. 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 “custody”

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

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