dauber

/ˈdɔːbə(ɹ)/

//ˈdɔːbə(ɹ)// noun

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

The verdict

“dauber” is uncommon English (outside the top frequency list), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

Unranked
below top-frequency English
6
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - One who, or that which, daubs; especially, a coarse, unskillful painter.

Corpus desk

Index EN-dauber · dauber · English

dauber · unranked · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-UNRANKED Unranked
  • LEN-LONG 6 letters
  • VOW-3 3 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-THIN "D" thin
  • PHOTO-UNK Peer pending

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.

Key facts for dauber
PropertyValue
Headworddauber
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈdɔːbə(ɹ)/
Letters6
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “dauber” in English

daubersits beyond the 100,000 most-frequent English words, in the long tail of technical, archaic, or otherwise rare vocabulary where spelling doubt tends to strike hardest.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

dauber is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as anoun, transcribed /ˈdɔːbə(ɹ)/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 5 senses are on record.

We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for dauber, a sign its spelling follows regular English conventions. This headword has no recorded confusable partner, suggesting its spelling stands apart enough that readers rarely confuse it with something else.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English daubere, equivalent to daub + -er. The correct English form is dauber, spelled D-A-U-B-E-R.

Definition

  1. 1
    One who, or that which, daubs; especially, a coarse, unskillful painter.
  2. 2
    A pad or ball of rags, covered with canvas, for inking plates.
  3. 3
    A type of thick marker pen used to mark a bingo card.
  4. 4
    A low and gross flatterer.
  5. 5
    The mud wasp; the mud dauber.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how dauber appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. After he had exerted all his powers to produce a masterpiece of art, the canons, upon viewing the picture, pronounced it a contemptible performance, and the artist a miserable dauber; and Vandyck could hardly obtain payment for his work.
  2. I want to be great, or nothing. I won't be a common-place dauber, so I don't intend to try any more.

Etymology

From Middle English daubere, equivalent to daub + -er.

This word in other languages

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "dauber"?
"dauber" is spelled D-A-U-B-E-R. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈdɔːbə(ɹ)/.
What does "dauber" mean?
As a noun, "dauber" means: One who, or that which, daubs; especially, a coarse, unskillful painter.
How do you pronounce "dauber"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "dauber" is /ˈdɔːbə(ɹ)/. 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 "dauber"?
From Middle English daubere, equivalent to daub + -er. 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.

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list