diaphragm

/ˈdaɪəˌfɹæm/

//ˈdaɪəˌfɹæm// noun

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

"diaphragm" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

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
3,470
“D” headwords
14
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 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.

Corpus desk

Index EN-diaphragm · diaphragm · English

diaphragm · rank #25,731 · 14 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #25,731
  • LEN-LONG 9 letters
  • VOW-3 3 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-HIGH 14 variants
  • BOOK-MID 3,470
  • PHOTO-FINISH dichotomy

Nearest frequency peer: dichotomy (+1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “diaphragm”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “diaphragm” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for diaphragm
PropertyValue
Headworddiaphragm
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈdaɪəˌfɹæm/
Letters9
Frequency rank#25,731
Misspellings tracked14
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “diaphragm”

Word frequency stretches from the small set of words we reach for constantly (left) out to the long tail barely used once in a while (right).diaphragmlands here:

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

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Same rarity band neighbours include “dichotomy” (#25,732), “deduct” (#25,729), “diminutive” (#25,733). Among 3,470 “D” headwords, “diaphragm” is #25,731. 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 3,470 “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. 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. 2
    Any of various membranes or sheets of muscle or ligament which separate one cavity from another.
  3. 3
    A contraceptive device consisting of a flexible cup, used to cover the cervix during intercourse.
  4. 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. 5
    In a speaker, the thin, semi-rigid membrane which vibrates to produce sound.
  6. 6
    A thin opaque structure with a central aperture, used to limit the passage of light into a camera or similar device.
  7. 7
    A permeable or semipermeable membrane.
  8. 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.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how diaphragm appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. thoracic diaphragm
  2. pulmonary diaphragm

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.

daiphragm2ddiaphragm1diahpragm2diaphargm2diaphhragm1diaphraggm1diaphragmm1diaphramg2
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"?
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. 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.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "diaphragm", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 9 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

dichotomy#25,732doubtless#25,739dwindling#25,742consonant#25,715

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (14 here; floor ≥5).

diminutive14 variantscoherence14 variantsclustered14 variantsexpressway14 variants

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list