Cygnus

/ˈsɪɡnəs/

//ˈsɪɡnəs// name

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

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

The verdict

“Cygnus” has 10 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #45,311. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#45,311
frequency rank, English
43,570
“C” headwords
10
tracked misspellings
2
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A summer constellation of the northern sky, said to resemble a swan. It includes the triple star system HD 188753 and the stars Deneb and Albireo.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

Cygnus vs Cyrus
67% similar
Cygnus vs Cyprus
67% similar

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

Key facts for Cygnus
PropertyValue
HeadwordCygnus
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechProper noun
IPA/ˈsɪɡnəs/
Letters6
Frequency rank#45,311
Misspellings tracked10
Confusable pairs2
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “Cygnus” 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). Cygnus 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 10 spelling variants around Cygnus (IPA /ˈsɪɡnəs/), aproper noun. Corpus frequency is #45,311 among 43,570 “C” headwords. Wiktionary lists 2 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 10 likely wrong-spelling variants for Cygnus, with forms such as "ccygnus", "cgynus", and "cyggnus". 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 2 confusable-pair relationships, "Cyrus", "Cyprus", a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowed from Latin cygnus (“swan”), from Ancient Greek κύκνος (kúknos, “swan”). The correct English form is Cygnus, spelled C-Y-G-N-U-S.

Definition

  1. 1
    A summer constellation of the northern sky, said to resemble a swan. It includes the triple star system HD 188753 and the stars Deneb and Albireo.
  2. 2
    A king of the Ligurians and relative of Phaeton who was transformed into a swan and placed in the sky as a constellation.

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin cygnus (“swan”), from Ancient Greek κύκνος (kúknos, “swan”).

Synonyms

Northern CrossCycnus

This word in other languages

Cygne(Français)Schwan(Deutsch)Cisne(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • ccygnus
  • cgynus
  • cyggnus
  • cygnnus
  • cygnsu
  • cygnuss
  • cyguns
  • cyngus
  • cyygnus
  • ycgnus

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

ccygnus1cgynus2cyggnus1cygnnus1cygnsu2cygnuss1cyguns2cyngus2
Edit distance from "Cygnus"

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 "Cygnus"?
"Cygnus" is spelled C-Y-G-N-U-S. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈsɪɡnəs/.
What does "Cygnus" mean?
As a proper noun, "Cygnus" means: A summer constellation of the northern sky, said to resemble a swan. It includes the triple star system HD 188753 and the stars Deneb and Albireo.
What words are commonly confused with "Cygnus"?
"Cygnus" is commonly confused with "Cyrus", "Cyprus". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "Cygnus"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "Cygnus" is /ˈsɪɡnəs/. 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 "Cygnus"?
Borrowed from Latin cygnus (“swan”), from Ancient Greek κύκνος (kúknos, “swan”). 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 “Cygnus”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is C-Y-G-N-U-S - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈsɪɡnəs/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “Cyrus” - see the side-by-side comparison. Cygnus vs Cyrus
  • 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 FrequencyWords open word-frequency list