debut

/ˈdɛbjuː/

//ˈdɛbjuː// noun

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

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

The verdict

“debut” has 7 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #2,885. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#2,885
frequency rank, English
3,470
“D” headwords
7
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - A performer's first performance to the public, in sport, the arts or some other area.

Corpus desk

Index EN-debut · debut · English

debut · rank #2,885 · 7 variants · 20 confusables

  • FREQ-COMMON #2,885
  • LEN-MID 5 letters
  • VOW-2 2 vowels
  • CONFUS-HIGH 20 pairs
  • VAR-MID 7 variants
  • BOOK-MID 3,470
  • PHOTO-FINISH conduct

Nearest frequency peer: conduct (-1 rank slots)

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.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “debut”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “debut” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

debut vs dent
60% similar
debut vs deft
60% similar
debut vs depot
60% similar

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

Key facts for debut
PropertyValue
Headworddebut
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈdɛbjuː/
Letters5
Frequency rank#2,885
Misspellings tracked7
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “debut”

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right).debutlands here:

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

The axis is logarithmic, with each marked tick roughly ten times rarer than the last. Same rarity band neighbours include “conduct” (#2,884), “decade” (#2,886), “chest” (#2,883). Among 3,470 “D” headwords, “debut” is #2,885. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 7 spelling variants around debut (IPA /ˈdɛbjuː/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #2,885 among 3,470 “D” headwords. Wiktionary lists 4 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 7 likely wrong-spelling variants for debut, with forms such as "dbeut", "ddebut", and "debbut". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "dent", "deft", "depot", and more, since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: From French début, from Middle French, derivative of débuter (“to move, begin”), from dé- + but (“mark, goal”), from Old French but (“aim, goal, end, target”), from Old French butte (“mound, knoll, target”), from Frankish *but (“stump, log”), or from Old No… The correct English form is debut, spelled D-E-B-U-T.

Definition

  1. 1
    A performer's first performance to the public, in sport, the arts or some other area.
  2. 2
    The first public presentation of a theatrical play, motion picture, opera, musical composition, dance, or other performing arts piece.
  3. 3
    The first appearance of a debutante in society.
  4. 4
    The coming-of-age celebration of a woman's eighteenth birthday.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. Liverpool's performance - despite a defensive injury crisis that saw a promising debut for teenage academy graduate John Flanagan - was a resounding advert for Kenny Dalglish to be given the manager's job on a permanent basis.
  2. Hulking defenceman Gudbranson, who came to Vancouver in a trade with the Florida Panthers last May, scored in his debut for the Canucks.

Etymology

From French début, from Middle French, derivative of débuter (“to move, begin”), from dé- + but (“mark, goal”), from Old French but (“aim, goal, end, target”), from Old French butte (“mound, knoll, target”), from Frankish *but (“stump, log”), or from Old Norse bútr (“log, stump, butt”); both from Proto-Germanic *butą (“end, piece”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰewd- (“to beat, push”). Cognate with Old English butt (“tree stump”). More at butt. The Philippine sense is influenced by Spanish debut.

This word in other languages

debut(Español)première(Français)Debüt(Deutsch)lançamento(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • dbeut
  • ddebut
  • debbut
  • debtu
  • debutt
  • deubt
  • edbut

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of debut - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

dbeut2ddebut1debbut1debtu2debutt1deubt2edbut2
Edit distance from "debut"

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 "debut"?
"debut" is spelled D-E-B-U-T. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈdɛbjuː/.
What does "debut" mean?
As a noun, "debut" means: A performer's first performance to the public, in sport, the arts or some other area.
What words are commonly confused with "debut"?
"debut" is commonly confused with "dent", "deft", "depot". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "debut"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "debut" is /ˈdɛbjuː/. 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 "debut"?
From French début, from Middle French, derivative of débuter (“to move, begin”), from dé- + but (“mark, goal”), from Old French but (“aim, goal, end, target”), from Old French butte (“mound, knoll, target”), from Frankish *but (“stump, log”), or f... 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.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "debut", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 5 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

chest#2,883brief#2,881blind#2,879bills#2,878

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (7 here; floor ≥5).

paint7 variantspilot7 variantssolar7 variantsseats7 variants

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list