erode

/ɪˈɹəʊd/

//ɪˈɹəʊd// verb

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

"erode" is a 5-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“erode” has 6 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #27,829. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#27,829
frequency rank, English
2,246
“E” headwords
6
tracked misspellings
10
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - To wear away by abrasion, corrosion, or chemical reaction.

Corpus desk

Index EN-erode · erode · English

erode · rank #27,829 · 6 variants · 10 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #27,829
  • LEN-MID 5 letters
  • VOW-3 3 vowels
  • CONFUS-MID 10 pairs
  • VAR-MID 6 variants
  • BOOK-MID 2,246
  • PHOTO-FINISH evocative

Nearest frequency peer: evocative (+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.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “erode”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “erode” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

erode vs eros
60% similar
erode vs evade
60% similar
erode vs evoke
60% similar

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

Key facts for erode
PropertyValue
Headworderode
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ɪˈɹəʊd/
Letters5
Frequency rank#27,829
Misspellings tracked6
Confusable pairs10
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “erode”

This scale runs from the tiny cluster of words that carry ordinary speech (left) to the long tail of words almost nobody reaches for (right).erodelands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Same rarity band neighbours include “evocative” (#27,830), “faintly” (#27,831), “fancies” (#27,832). Among 2,246 “E” headwords, “erode” is #27,829. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 6 spelling variants around erode (IPA /ɪˈɹəʊd/), averb. Corpus frequency is #27,829 among 2,246 “E” headwords. Wiktionary lists 2 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 6 likely wrong-spelling variants for erode, with forms such as "eorde", "erdoe", and "erodde". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 10 confusable-pair relationships, "eros", "evade", "evoke", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: From French éroder, from Latin ērōdō. The correct English form is erode, spelled E-R-O-D-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    To wear away by abrasion, corrosion, or chemical reaction.
  2. 2
    To destroy gradually by an ongoing process.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. The cliff is gradually being eroded by the waves.
  2. to erode a person’s trust

Etymology

From French éroder, from Latin ērōdō.

This word in other languages

erosionar(Español)éroder(Français)erodieren(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • eorde
  • erdoe
  • erodde
  • eroed
  • errode
  • reode

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

eorde2erdoe2erodde1eroed2errode1reode2
Edit distance from "erode"

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 "erode"?
"erode" is spelled E-R-O-D-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ɪˈɹəʊd/.
What does "erode" mean?
As a verb, "erode" means: To wear away by abrasion, corrosion, or chemical reaction.
What words are commonly confused with "erode"?
"erode" is commonly confused with "eros", "evade", "evoke". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "erode"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "erode" is /ɪˈɹəʊd/. 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 "erode"?
From French éroder, from Latin ērōdō. 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 "erode", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 5 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

Dunne#27,820Davos#27,799crock#27,794ceded#27,768

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (6 here; floor ≥5).

HVAC6 variantsconf6 variantsCollin6 variantsCohn6 variants

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list