deuce

/djuːs/

//djuːs// noun

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

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

The verdict

“deuce” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #31,135 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#31,135
frequency rank, English
5
letters
5
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A card with two pips, one of four in a standard deck of playing cards.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

deuce vs due
60% similar
deuce vs duc
60% similar
deuce vs dude
60% similar

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

Key facts for deuce
PropertyValue
Headworddeuce
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/djuːs/
Letters5
Frequency rank#31,135
Misspellings tracked5
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “deuce” 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). deuce 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 deuce is 5 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /djuːs/. Corpus data places it at rank #31,135 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 13 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 5 likely wrong-spelling variants for deuce, with forms such as "decue", "deucce", and "deuec". 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, "due", "duc", "dude", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English dewes (“two”), from Anglo-Norman, from Old French deus, from Latin duo. The word was used by Ford Motor Co. in 1932 to describe a two-seater car model. The correct English form is deuce, spelled D-E-U-C-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    A card with two pips, one of four in a standard deck of playing cards.
  2. 2
    A side of a die with two spots.
  3. 3
    A cast of dice totalling two.
  4. 4
    The number two.
  5. 5
    The number two.
  6. 6
    A hand gesture consisting of a raised index and middle finger, a peace sign.
  7. 7
    A tied game where either player can win by scoring two consecutive points.
  8. 8
    A curveball.
  9. 9
    A 1932 Ford.
  10. 10
    Two-barrel (twin choke) carburetors (in the phrase three deuces: an arrangement on a common intake manifold).
  11. 11
    A table seating two diners.
  12. 12
    A twopence coin.
  13. 13
    Douche.

Etymology

From Middle English dewes (“two”), from Anglo-Norman, from Old French deus, from Latin duo. The word was used by Ford Motor Co. in 1932 to describe a two-seater car model.

This word in other languages

dos(Español)deux(Français)Daus(Deutsch)duque(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: decue,deucce,deuec,duece,educe

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

decue2deucce1deuec2duece2educe2
Edit distance from "deuce"

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 "deuce"?
"deuce" is spelled D-E-U-C-E. The IPA pronunciation is /djuːs/.
What does "deuce" mean?
As a noun, "deuce" means: A card with two pips, one of four in a standard deck of playing cards.
What words are commonly confused with "deuce"?
"deuce" is commonly confused with "due", "duc", "dude". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "deuce"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "deuce" is /djuːs/. 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 "deuce"?
From Middle English dewes (“two”), from Anglo-Norman, from Old French deus, from Latin duo. The word was used by Ford Motor Co. in 1932 to describe a two-seater car model. 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 “deuce”

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

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