diaphragm

Name: diaphragm, English Word Data
Creator: Wiktionary
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

/ˈdaɪəˌfɹæm/

//ˈdaɪəˌfɹæm// noun

By PlainSpell · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) · analyzed May 6, 2026

The verdict

“diaphragm” has 14 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #25,731. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#25,731
frequency rank, English: 26,416
“D” headwords: 14
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - In mammals, a sheet of muscle separating the thorax from the abdomen, contracted and relaxed in respiration to draw air into and expel air from the lungs.

Key facts for diaphragm
Property	Value
Headword	diaphragm
Language	English
Part of speech	Noun
IPA	/ˈdaɪəˌfɹæm/
Letters	9
Frequency rank	#25,731
Misspellings tracked	14
Confusable pairs	0
Source	Wiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “diaphragm” 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). diaphragm lands here:

#25,731

#1#100#1K#10K#100K

← used constantlyrarely used →

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

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 14 spelling variants around diaphragm (IPA /ˈdaɪəˌfɹæm/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #25,731 among 26,416 “D” headwords. Wiktionary lists 8 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 14 likely wrong-spelling variants for diaphragm, with forms such as "daiphragm", "ddiaphragm", and "diahpragm". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. Our dataset records no confusable match here, since its spelling is unusual enough that it doesn't cluster with a lookalike.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English diafragma, Ancient Greek διάφραγμα (diáphragma, “partition”), from διά (diá, “across”) and φράγμα (phrágma, “barrier”), from the verb φράσσω (phrássō). First attested in the late 14th century. The correct English form is diaphragm, spelled D-I-A-P-H-R-A-G-M.

Definition

1
In mammals, a sheet of muscle separating the thorax from the abdomen, contracted and relaxed in respiration to draw air into and expel air from the lungs.
2
Any of various membranes or sheets of muscle or ligament which separate one cavity from another.
3
A contraceptive device consisting of a flexible cup, used to cover the cervix during intercourse.
4
A flexible membrane separating two chambers and fixed around its periphery that distends into one or other chamber as the difference in the pressure in the chambers varies.
5
In a speaker, the thin, semi-rigid membrane which vibrates to produce sound.
6
A thin opaque structure with a central aperture, used to limit the passage of light into a camera or similar device.
7
A permeable or semipermeable membrane.
8
A floor slab, metal wall panel, roof panel or the like, having a sufficiently large in-plane shear stiffness and sufficient strength to transmit horizontal forces to resisting systems.

Etymology

From Middle English diafragma, Ancient Greek διάφραγμα (diáphragma, “partition”), from διά (diá, “across”) and φράγμα (phrágma, “barrier”), from the verb φράσσω (phrássō). First attested in the late 14th century.

This word in other languages

diafragma(Español)diaphragme(Français)Zwerchfell(Deutsch)diafragma(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

daiphragm
ddiaphragm
diahpragm
diaphargm
diaphhragm
diaphraggm
diaphragmm
diaphramg
diaphrgam
diaphrragm
diapphragm
diaprhagm
dipahragm
idaphragm

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

Edit distance from "diaphragm"

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 "diaphragm"?

"diaphragm" is spelled D-I-A-P-H-R-A-G-M. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈdaɪəˌfɹæm/.

What does "diaphragm" mean?

As a noun, "diaphragm" means: In mammals, a sheet of muscle separating the thorax from the abdomen, contracted and relaxed in respiration to draw air into and expel air from the lungs.

What are common misspellings of "diaphragm"?

Common misspellings include "daiphragm", "ddiaphragm", "diahpragm", "diaphargm", "diaphhragm". The correct spelling is "diaphragm".

How do you pronounce "diaphragm"?

The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "diaphragm" is /ˈdaɪəˌfɹæm/. 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 "diaphragm"?

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 “diaphragm”

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

The one correct English spelling is D-I-A-P-H-R-A-G-M - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
Say it as /ˈdaɪəˌfɹæm/ (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

Same frequency band

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.