decaf

/ˈdiːkæf/

//ˈdiːkæf// adj

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

The verdict

“decaf” has 7 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #45,317. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#45,317
frequency rank, English
3,470
“D” headwords
7
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - That has caffeine removed.

Corpus desk

Index EN-decaf · decaf · English

decaf · rank #45,317 · 7 variants · 20 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #45,317
  • LEN-MID 5 letters
  • VOW-2 2 vowels
  • CONFUS-HIGH 20 pairs
  • VAR-MID 7 variants
  • BOOK-MID 3,470
  • PHOTO-FINISH darned

Nearest frequency peer: darned (-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 “decaf”

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

corpus weight

What this shows “decaf” 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).

decaf vs def
60% similar
decaf vs deck
60% similar
decaf vs deco
60% similar

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

Key facts for decaf
PropertyValue
Headworddecaf
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ˈdiːkæf/
Letters5
Frequency rank#45,317
Misspellings tracked7
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “decaf”

Word frequency stretches from the small set of words we reach for constantly (left) out to the long tail barely used once in a while (right).decaflands here:

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

Ticks step logarithmically, so each one marks a roughly tenfold drop in how often the word turns up. Same rarity band neighbours include “darned” (#45,316), “decapitation” (#45,318), “dampening” (#45,315). Among 3,470 “D” headwords, “decaf” is #45,317. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 7 spelling variants around decaf (IPA /ˈdiːkæf/), anadjective. Corpus frequency is #45,317 among 3,470 “D” headwords. Dominant gloss: "That has caffeine removed.".

Our generated misspelling index lists 7 likely wrong-spelling variants for decaf, with forms such as "dceaf", "ddecaf", and "deacf". 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, "def", "deck", "deco", and more, since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: Clipping of decaffeinated. The correct English form is decaf, spelled D-E-C-A-F.

Definition

  1. 1
    That has caffeine removed.

Etymology

Clipping of decaffeinated.

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • dceaf
  • ddecaf
  • deacf
  • decaff
  • deccaf
  • decfa
  • edcaf

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

dceaf2ddecaf1deacf2decaff1deccaf1decfa2edcaf2
Edit distance from "decaf"

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 "decaf"?
"decaf" is spelled D-E-C-A-F. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈdiːkæf/.
What does "decaf" mean?
As an adjective, "decaf" means: That has caffeine removed.
What words are commonly confused with "decaf"?
"decaf" is commonly confused with "def", "deck", "deco". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "decaf"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "decaf" is /ˈdiːkæf/. 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 "decaf"?
Clipping of decaffeinated. 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 "decaf", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

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

Similar misspelling depth

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

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list