# dour

> English word · Adjective · IPA /ˈdʊə/ · frequency rank #49,880

## Definitions
1. Stern, harsh and forbidding.
2. Unyielding and obstinate.
3. Expressing gloom or melancholy.

## Etymology
Borrowed from Scots dour, possibly from Latin dūrus (“hard, stern”), via Middle Irish dúr.
Compare French dur, Catalan dur, Italian duro, Portuguese duro, Romanian dur, Spanish duro. Doublet of dure.

## Easily confused with
- **Dr** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dour-vs-dr)
- **due** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dour-vs-due)
- **duo** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dour-vs-duo)
- **dug** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dour-vs-dug)
- **dub** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dour-vs-dub)
- **dow** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dour-vs-dow)
- **duh** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dour-vs-duh)
- **DUI** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dour-vs-dui)
- **dun** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dour-vs-dun)
- **dum** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dour-vs-dum)
- **dup** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dour-vs-dup)
- **dud** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dour-vs-dud)
- **duc** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dour-vs-duc)
- **dur** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dour-vs-dur)
- **dua** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dour-vs-dua)
- **Dru** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dour-vs-dru)
- **dox** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dour-vs-dox)
- **down** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dour-vs-down)
- **drug** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dour-vs-drug)
- **drum** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dour-vs-drum)

## Common misspellings (5)
`ddour`, `doru`, `dourr`, `duor`, `odur`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/dour