embryo

/ˈɛmbɹi.əʊ/

//ˈɛmbɹi.əʊ// noun

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

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

The verdict

“embryo” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #18,554 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#18,554
frequency rank, English
6
letters
9
tracked misspellings
2
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - In the reproductive cycle, the stage after the fertilization of the egg that precedes the development into a fetus.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

embryo vs emery
67% similar
embryo vs embargo
71% similar

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

Key facts for embryo
PropertyValue
Headwordembryo
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈɛmbɹi.əʊ/
Letters6
Frequency rank#18,554
Misspellings tracked9
Confusable pairs2
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “embryo” 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). embryo 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 embryo is 6 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈɛmbɹi.əʊ/. Corpus data places it at rank #18,554 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 9 likely wrong-spelling variants for embryo, with forms such as "ebmryo", "embbryo", and "embroy". 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. It also participates in 2 confusable-pair relationships, "emery", "embargo", since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowed from Medieval Latin embryō, from Ancient Greek ἔμβρυον (émbruon, “fetus”), from ἐν (en, “in-”) + βρύω (brúō, “to grow, swell”). The correct English form is embryo, spelled E-M-B-R-Y-O.

Definition

  1. 1
    In the reproductive cycle, the stage after the fertilization of the egg that precedes the development into a fetus.
  2. 2
    An organism in the earlier stages of development before it emerges from the egg, or before metamorphosis.
  3. 3
    In a viviparous animal, the young animal's earliest stages in the mother's body.
  4. 4
    In a human, usually the cell growth of the child within the mother's body, through the end of the seventh week of pregnancy.
  5. 5
    A rudimentary plant contained in the seed.
  6. 6
    The beginning; the first stage of anything.

Etymology

Borrowed from Medieval Latin embryō, from Ancient Greek ἔμβρυον (émbruon, “fetus”), from ἐν (en, “in-”) + βρύω (brúō, “to grow, swell”).

This word in other languages

embrión(Español)embryon(Français)Embryo(Deutsch)embrião(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: ebmryo,embbryo,embroy,embrryo,embryyo,embyro,emmbryo,emrbyo,mebryo

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of embryo - 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.

ebmryo2embbryo1embroy2embrryo1embryyo1embyro2emmbryo1emrbyo2
Edit distance from "embryo"

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 "embryo"?
"embryo" is spelled E-M-B-R-Y-O. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈɛmbɹi.əʊ/.
What does "embryo" mean?
As a noun, "embryo" means: In the reproductive cycle, the stage after the fertilization of the egg that precedes the development into a fetus.
What words are commonly confused with "embryo"?
"embryo" is commonly confused with "emery", "embargo". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "embryo"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "embryo" is /ˈɛmbɹi.əʊ/. 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 "embryo"?
Borrowed from Medieval Latin embryō, from Ancient Greek ἔμβρυον (émbruon, “fetus”), from ἐν (en, “in-”) + βρύω (brúō, “to grow, swell”). 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 “embryo”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is E-M-B-R-Y-O - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈɛmbɹi.əʊ/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “emery” - see the side-by-side comparison. embryo vs emery
  • 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