dungeon

/ˈdʌn.d͡ʒən/

//ˈdʌn.d͡ʒən// noun

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

"dungeon" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“dungeon” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #13,504 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#13,504
frequency rank, English
7
letters
10
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - An underground prison or vault, typically built underneath a castle.

Key facts for dungeon
PropertyValue
Headworddungeon
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈdʌn.d͡ʒən/
Letters7
Frequency rank#13,504
Misspellings tracked10
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “dungeon” 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). dungeon 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 dungeon is 7 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈdʌn.d͡ʒən/. Corpus data places it at rank #13,504 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 6 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 10 likely wrong-spelling variants for dungeon, with forms such as "ddungeon", "dnugeon", and "dugneon". 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. No close-neighbour confusable shows up for this headword in our dataset, since its spelling is unusual enough that it doesn't cluster with a lookalike.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English dongeoun (“keep of a castle; dungeon; abyss, cave, den; whirlpool”), from Anglo-Norman donjun (“keep of a castle; keep used as a prison; dungeon”) and continental Old French donjon (“keep of a castle”), from Vulgar Latin *dominiōnem, see… The correct English form is dungeon, spelled D-U-N-G-E-O-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    An underground prison or vault, typically built underneath a castle.
  2. 2
    The low area between two drumlins.
  3. 3
    The main tower of a motte or castle; a keep or donjon.
  4. 4
    A shrewd person.
  5. 5
    An area inhabited by enemies, containing story objectives, treasure, and bosses.
  6. 6
    A room dedicated to sadomasochistic sexual activity.

Etymology

From Middle English dongeoun (“keep of a castle; dungeon; abyss, cave, den; whirlpool”), from Anglo-Norman donjun (“keep of a castle; keep used as a prison; dungeon”) and continental Old French donjon (“keep of a castle”), from Vulgar Latin *dominiōnem, seemingly derived from Latin dominus (“master, lord”) perhaps via some figurative sense like “dominant building”. Doublet of donjon. The sense of “prison (associated with a castle)”, first attested in Anglo-Norman (13th c.) and apparently never in continental Old French, likely developed in combination with Old English dung (“underground prison cell”), whence Middle English donge (“pit, abyss”, senses that are also attested for Middle English dongeoun). The game term has been popularized by Dungeons & Dragons.

This word in other languages

mazmorra(Español)oubliette(Français)Verlies(Deutsch)masmorra(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: ddungeon,dnugeon,dugneon,dunegon,dungeno,dungeonn,dunggeon,dungoen,dunngeon,udngeon

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of dungeon - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

ddungeon1dnugeon2dugneon2dunegon2dungeno2dungeonn1dunggeon1dungoen2
Edit distance from "dungeon"

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 "dungeon"?
"dungeon" is spelled D-U-N-G-E-O-N. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈdʌn.d͡ʒən/.
What does "dungeon" mean?
As a noun, "dungeon" means: An underground prison or vault, typically built underneath a castle.
What are common misspellings of "dungeon"?
Common misspellings include "ddungeon", "dnugeon", "dugneon", "dunegon", "dungeno". The correct spelling is "dungeon".
How do you pronounce "dungeon"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "dungeon" is /ˈdʌn.d͡ʒən/. 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 "dungeon"?
From Middle English dongeoun (“keep of a castle; dungeon; abyss, cave, den; whirlpool”), from Anglo-Norman donjun (“keep of a castle; keep used as a prison; dungeon”) and continental Old French donjon (“keep of a castle”), from Vulgar Latin *domin... 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 “dungeon”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is D-U-N-G-E-O-N - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈdʌn.d͡ʒən/ (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