dovish

/ˈdʌvɪʃ/

//ˈdʌvɪʃ// adj

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

"dovish" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“dovish” is outside the top-ranked English vocabulary, used as an adjective - the kind of word writers most often double-check.

Unranked
below top-frequency English
6
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Pertaining to a dove; dove-like.

Key facts for dovish
PropertyValue
Headworddovish
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ˈdʌvɪʃ/
Letters6
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “dovish” sits in English frequency

dovish falls outside the top-100,000 ranked English words, the long-tail zone of technical, archaic, or low-frequency vocabulary, exactly where readers second-guess spellings most.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for dovish is 6 letters long, classified as an adjective, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈdʌvɪʃ/. It sits outside the most-frequent rank tiers, which is often why uncommon words generate more spelling variants per reader. Wiktionary records 3 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for dovish, a sign its spelling follows regular English conventions. It is not paired with a close-neighbour confusable in our dataset, since its spelling is unusual enough that it doesn't cluster with a lookalike.

Etymologically, the entry records: From dove + -ish. The correct English form is dovish, spelled D-O-V-I-S-H.

Definition

  1. 1
    Pertaining to a dove; dove-like.
  2. 2
    Peaceful, conciliatory.
  3. 3
    Disfavoring increasing interest rates; inclined against increasing interest rates.

Etymology

From dove + -ish.

This word in other languages

columbino(Español)friedsam(Deutsch)

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "dovish"?
"dovish" is spelled D-O-V-I-S-H. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈdʌvɪʃ/.
What does "dovish" mean?
As an adjective, "dovish" means: Pertaining to a dove; dove-like.
How do you pronounce "dovish"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "dovish" is /ˈdʌvɪʃ/. 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 "dovish"?
From dove + -ish. 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 “dovish”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is D-O-V-I-S-H - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈdʌvɪʃ/ (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
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