default
/dɪˈfɒlt/
"default" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“default” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #4,364 in English word frequency and used as a noun.
- #4,364
- frequency rank, English
- 7
- letters
- 10
- tracked misspellings
- 2
- confusable pairs
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - The condition of failing to meet an obligation.
Visual similarity to commonly confused words
How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).
Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | default |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Noun |
| IPA | /dɪˈfɒlt/ |
| Letters | 7 |
| Frequency rank | #4,364 |
| Misspellings tracked | 10 |
| Confusable pairs | 2 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Where “default” sits in English frequency
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
The English entry for default is 7 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /dɪˈfɒlt/. Corpus data places it at rank #4,364 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 10 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.
Our generated misspelling index lists 10 likely wrong-spelling variants for default, with forms such as "ddefault", "deafult", and "defalut". 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 2 confusable-pair relationships, "DePaul", "dealt", since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.
Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English defaut, defaute, from Old French defaute (“fault, defect, failure, culpability, lack”), ultimately from Latin de- (“away”) + fallo (“deceive, cheat, escape notice of”). The correct English form is default, spelled D-E-F-A-U-L-T.
Definition
- 1The condition of failing to meet an obligation.
- 2The condition of being an obligation that has not been met.
- 3the original software programming settings as set by the factory
- 4A loss incurred by failing to compete.
- 5A selection made in the absence of an alternative.
- 6A value used when none has been given; a tentative value or standard that is presumed.
- 7The failure of a defendant to appear and answer a summons and complaint.
- 8A failing or failure; omission of that which ought to be done; neglect to do what duty or law requires.
- 9Lack; absence.
- 10Fault; offence; wrong act.
Etymology
From Middle English defaut, defaute, from Old French defaute (“fault, defect, failure, culpability, lack”), ultimately from Latin de- (“away”) + fallo (“deceive, cheat, escape notice of”).
This word in other languages
Common misspellings
Also misspelled as: ddefault,deafult,defalut,defaullt,defaultt,defautl,deffault,defualt,dfeault,edfault
Misspelling Pattern Breakdown
How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of default - 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.
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
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Using “default”
The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.
- The one correct English spelling is D-E-F-A-U-L-T - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
- Say it as /dɪˈfɒlt/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
- Don't mix it up with “DePaul” - see the side-by-side comparison. default vs DePaul
- 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.