DefCon

/ˈdɛfkɒn/

//ˈdɛfkɒn// name

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

The verdict

“DefCon” is uncommon English (frequency #54,113 among 26,416 “D” headwords), classed as a proper noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#54,113
frequency rank, English
26,416
“D” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Alternative form of DEFCON.

Key facts for DefCon
PropertyValue
HeadwordDefCon
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechProper noun
IPA/ˈdɛfkɒn/
Letters6
Frequency rank#54,113
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “DefCon” 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). DefCon lands here:

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

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

DefCon is uncommon English at frequency #54,113 among 26,416 “D” headwords, classed as aproper noun, transcribed /ˈdɛfkɒn/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. Gloss: "Alternative form of DEFCON.".

We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for DefCon, since its letter sequence doesn't invite the usual edit-distance slips. Our confusable-pair dataset has no match for it, since no other headword is close enough in sound or shape to pair with it.

No explicit etymology string is stored for this entry, so any spelling logic here comes from how the word's sounds map to letters, not a documented origin story. The correct English form is DefCon, spelled D-E-F-C-O-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    Alternative form of DEFCON.

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 "DefCon"?
"DefCon" is spelled D-E-F-C-O-N. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈdɛfkɒn/.
What does "DefCon" mean?
As a proper noun, "DefCon" means: Alternative form of DEFCON.
How do you pronounce "DefCon"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "DefCon" is /ˈdɛfkɒn/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "DefCon" come from?
"DefCon" is a English word. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, and spelling data for this and other words across English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and German on PlainSpell.
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 “DefCon”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is D-E-F-C-O-N - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈdɛfkɒn/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words

Other uncommon English words near this rank

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