ensign
/ˈɛn.sɪn/
"ensign" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“ensign” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #20,346 in English word frequency and used as a noun.
- #20,346
- frequency rank, English
- 6
- letters
- 9
- tracked misspellings
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A badge of office, rank, or power.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | ensign |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Noun |
| IPA | /ˈɛn.sɪn/ |
| Letters | 6 |
| Frequency rank | #20,346 |
| Misspellings tracked | 9 |
| Confusable pairs | 0 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Where “ensign” sits in English frequency
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
The English entry for ensign is 6 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈɛn.sɪn/. Corpus data places it at rank #20,346 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 ensign, with forms such as "enisgn", "ennsign", and "ensgin". 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. This headword has no recorded confusable partner, which typically means the spelling is too distinctive to be mistaken for another word.
Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English ensigne, from Old French enseigne, from Latin īnsignia, nominative plural of īnsigne, meaning marked, distinguished. Doublet of insignia. The correct English form is ensign, spelled E-N-S-I-G-N.
Definition
- 1A badge of office, rank, or power.
- 2The lowest grade of commissioned officer in the United States Navy, junior to a lieutenant junior grade.
- 3A flag or banner carried by military units; a standard or color/colour.
- 4The principal flag or banner flown by a ship (usually at the stern) to indicate nationality.
- 5Any prominent flag or banner.
- 6A junior commissioned officer in the 18th and 19th centuries whose duty was to carry the unit's ensign.
Etymology
From Middle English ensigne, from Old French enseigne, from Latin īnsignia, nominative plural of īnsigne, meaning marked, distinguished. Doublet of insignia.
This word in other languages
Common misspellings
Also misspelled as: enisgn,ennsign,ensgin,ensiggn,ensignn,ensing,enssign,esnign,nesign
Misspelling Pattern Breakdown
How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of ensign - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.
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
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Using “ensign”
The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.
- The one correct English spelling is E-N-S-I-G-N - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
- Say it as /ˈɛn.sɪn/ (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.