dens

/dɛnz/

//dɛnz// noun

"dens" is a 4-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“dens” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #34,854 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#34,854
frequency rank, English
4
letters
5
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - plural of den

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

dens vs DS
0% similar
dens vs don
50% similar
dens vs DNA
0% similar

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

Key facts for dens
PropertyValue
Headworddens
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/dɛnz/
Letters4
Frequency rank#34,854
Misspellings tracked5
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “dens” 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). dens lands here:

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

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

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for dens is 4 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /dɛnz/. Corpus data places it at rank #34,854 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. The dominant gloss from Wiktionary reads: "plural of den".

Our generated misspelling index lists 5 likely wrong-spelling variants for dens, with forms such as "ddens", "denns", and "denss". 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, "DS", "don", "DNA", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form. The correct English form is dens, spelled D-E-N-S.

Definition

  1. 1
    plural of den

Etymology

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: ddens,denns,denss,desn,dnes

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

ddens1denns1denss1desn2dnes2
Edit distance from "dens"

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 "dens"?
"dens" is spelled D-E-N-S. The IPA pronunciation is /dɛnz/.
What does "dens" mean?
As a noun, "dens" means: plural of den
What words are commonly confused with "dens"?
"dens" is commonly confused with "DS", "don", "DNA". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "dens"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "dens" is /dɛnz/. 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 "dens"?
See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form. 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.

Using “dens”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is D-E-N-S - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /dɛnz/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “DS” - see the side-by-side comparison. dens vs DS
  • 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.

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list