echo

/ˈɛkəʊ/

//ˈɛkəʊ// noun

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

"echo" is a 4-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“echo” has 5 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #6,679. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#6,679
frequency rank, English
2,246
“E” headwords
5
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 2, 2026) - A reflected sound that is heard again by its initial observer.

Corpus desk

Index EN-echo · echo · English

echo · rank #6,679 · 5 variants · 20 confusables

  • FREQ-COMMON #6,679
  • LEN-MID 4 letters
  • VOW-2 2 vowels
  • CONFUS-HIGH 20 pairs
  • VAR-MID 5 variants
  • BOOK-MID 2,246
  • PHOTO-FINISH eBay

Nearest frequency peer: eBay (-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.

Frequency neighbourhood for “echo”

Lower corpus rank = more everyday usage (inverted bar length for readability)

corpus weight

What this shows Bars show where “echo” sits against the nearest ranked English headwords in the FrequencyWords band, not a reprint of letter-browse containment.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 2, 2026

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

echo vs eh
50% similar
echo vs eo
50% similar
echo vs ego
50% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for echo
PropertyValue
Headwordecho
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈɛkəʊ/
Letters4
Frequency rank#6,679
Misspellings tracked5
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “echo” 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). echo lands here:

#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 5 spelling variants around echo (IPA /ˈɛkəʊ/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #6,679 among 2,246 “E” headwords. Wiktionary lists 14 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 5 likely wrong-spelling variants for echo, with forms such as "ceho", "eccho", and "echho". 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. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "eh", "eo", "ego", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English eccho, ecco, ekko, from Medieval Latin ēccō, from Latin ēchō, from Ancient Greek ἠχώ (ēkhṓ), from ἠχή (ēkhḗ, “sound”). Possibly from the same Proto-Indo-European root as sough. The correct English form is echo, spelled E-C-H-O.

Definition

  1. 1
    A reflected sound that is heard again by its initial observer.
  2. 2
    An utterance repeating what has just been said.
  3. 3
    A device in verse in which a line ends with a word which recalls the sound of the last word of the preceding line.
  4. 4
    Sympathetic recognition; response; answer.
  5. 5
    Something that reflects or hearkens back to an earlier thing.
  6. 6
    An insignificant indirect result; a ripple.
  7. 7
    The displaying on the command line of the command that has just been executed.
  8. 8
    An individual discussion forum using the echomail system.
  9. 9
    Alternative letter-case form of Echo from the NATO/ICAO Phonetic Alphabet.
  10. 10
    A signal, played in the same manner as a trump signal, made by a player who holds four or more trumps (or, as played by some, exactly three trumps) and whose partner has led trumps or signalled for trumps.
  11. 11
    A signal showing the number held of a plain suit when a high card in that suit is led by one's partner.
  12. 12
    An antisemitic punctuation symbol or marking, ((( ))), placed around a name or phrase to indicate the person is Jewish or the entity is controlled by Jewish people; or repurposed or reclaimed to proudly declare one's Jewishness or solidarity with Jews.
  13. 13
    Clipping of echocardiography.
  14. 14
    Clipping of echocardiogram.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. The babbling echo mocks the hounds.
  2. To you I mourn; nor to the Deaf I ſing, / The Woods ſhall anſwer, and their Echo ring.

Etymology

From Middle English eccho, ecco, ekko, from Medieval Latin ēccō, from Latin ēchō, from Ancient Greek ἠχώ (ēkhṓ), from ἠχή (ēkhḗ, “sound”). Possibly from the same Proto-Indo-European root as sough.

This word in other languages

eco(Español)écho(Français)Echo(Deutsch)eco(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • ceho
  • eccho
  • echho
  • ecoh
  • ehco

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of echo - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

ceho2eccho1echho1ecoh2ehco2
Edit distance from "echo"

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.

PlainSpell is rendered directly from structured Wiktionary extracts and open word-frequency lists, no number is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of September 2, 2026. Primary sources: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) and FrequencyWords.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "echo"?
"echo" is spelled E-C-H-O. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈɛkəʊ/.
What does "echo" mean?
As a noun, "echo" means: A reflected sound that is heard again by its initial observer.
What words are commonly confused with "echo"?
"echo" is commonly confused with "eh", "eo", "ego". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "echo"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "echo" is /ˈɛkəʊ/. 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 "echo"?
From Middle English eccho, ecco, ekko, from Medieval Latin ēccō, from Latin ēchō, from Ancient Greek ἠχώ (ēkhṓ), from ἠχή (ēkhḗ, “sound”). Possibly from the same Proto-Indo-European root as sough. 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 "echo", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 4 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

eBay#6,678cope#6,668hart#6,692bust#6,662

Similar misspelling depth

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

bolt5 variantsJesse5 variantssoda5 variantsrats5 variants

What to do next

You've looked up "echo". Here's where to go from here.

  • "echo" maps to 20 confusable pairs in this vintage; the highest-scored is "eh". View pair
  • 5 edit-distance misspelling variants are generated for spell-check research on this headword. See variants
  • Usage frequency rank #6,679 among English headwords in this corpus. Corpus statistics
  • Browse more English words in the "E" letter cohort. E–Z browse
  • PlainSpell rotates a curated Word of the Day from the English corpus, a passive way to discover vocabulary. Word of the Day

PlainSpell is a reference corpus, not spelling advice. Verify unusual forms in context.

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