filibuster

/ˈfɪlɪbʌstə(ɹ)/

//ˈfɪlɪbʌstə(ɹ)// noun

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

"filibuster" is a 10-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“filibuster” has 15 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #33,239. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#33,239
frequency rank, English
2,507
“F” headwords
15
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - A mercenary soldier; a freebooter; specifically, a mercenary who travelled illegally in an organized group from the United States to a country in Central America or the Spanish West Indies in the m...

Corpus desk

Index EN-filibuster · filibuster · English

filibuster · rank #33,239 · 15 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #33,239
  • LEN-MEGA 10 letters
  • VOW-4 4 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-HIGH 15 variants
  • BOOK-MID 2,507
  • PHOTO-FINISH Fijian

Nearest frequency peer: Fijian (-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 “filibuster”

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

corpus weight

What this shows “filibuster” 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
Key facts for filibuster
PropertyValue
Headwordfilibuster
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈfɪlɪbʌstə(ɹ)/
Letters10
Frequency rank#33,239
Misspellings tracked15
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “filibuster”

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right).filibusterlands here:

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

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Same rarity band neighbours include “Fijian” (#33,238), “Fillmore” (#33,241), “finalize” (#33,242). Among 2,507 “F” headwords, “filibuster” is #33,239. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 15 spelling variants around filibuster (IPA /ˈfɪlɪbʌstə(ɹ)/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #33,239 among 2,507 “F” headwords. Wiktionary lists 3 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 15 likely wrong-spelling variants for filibuster, with forms such as "ffilibuster", "fiilbuster", and "filbiuster". 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: Borrowed from Spanish filibustero (“pirate”), from French flibustier, ultimately from Dutch vrijbuiter (“freebooter”), from vrij (“free”) + buit (“booty”) + -er (“agent”). The alteration in the first syllable in French is due to the word's being somewhat co… The correct English form is filibuster, spelled F-I-L-I-B-U-S-T-E-R.

Definition

  1. 1
    A mercenary soldier; a freebooter; specifically, a mercenary who travelled illegally in an organized group from the United States to a country in Central America or the Spanish West Indies in the mid-19th century seeking economic and political benefits through armed force.
  2. 2
    A tactic (such as giving long, often irrelevant speeches) employed to delay the proceedings of, or the making of a decision by, a legislative body, particularly the United States Senate.
  3. 3
    A member of a legislative body causing such an obstruction.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. These duties involved prodigious physical and mental exertion, in a climate deadly to Europeans. They also involved much voyaging in waters haunted by filibusters and buccaneers. But nothing appears to daunt Labat. As for the filibusters, he becomes their comrade and personal friend;—he even becomes their chaplain, and does not scruple to make excursions…
  2. Mexico's War of Independence (1810–1821) encouraged an increase in the activity of filibusters in northern Mexico, particularly Texas. Spain's concentration on repressing independence movements within Mexico created opportunities for filibusters to seize control of its northern frontier regions.

Etymology

Borrowed from Spanish filibustero (“pirate”), from French flibustier, ultimately from Dutch vrijbuiter (“freebooter”), from vrij (“free”) + buit (“booty”) + -er (“agent”). The alteration in the first syllable in French is due to the word's being somewhat conflated with vlieboot (“light, flat-bottomed cargo vessel with two or three masts”) when it was borrowed into French or another language from Dutch. The word is cognate and analogous to English freebooter.

This word in other languages

filibustero(Español)flibustier(Français)Freibeuter(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • ffilibuster
  • fiilbuster
  • filbiuster
  • filibbuster
  • filibsuter
  • filibusetr
  • filibusster
  • filibusterr
  • filibustre
  • filibustter
  • filibutser
  • filiubster
  • fillibuster
  • fliibuster
  • iflibuster

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

ffilibuster1fiilbuster2filbiuster2filibbuster1filibsuter2filibusetr2filibusster1filibusterr1
Edit distance from "filibuster"

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 "filibuster"?
"filibuster" is spelled F-I-L-I-B-U-S-T-E-R. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈfɪlɪbʌstə(ɹ)/.
What does "filibuster" mean?
As a noun, "filibuster" means: A mercenary soldier; a freebooter; specifically, a mercenary who travelled illegally in an organized group from the United States to a country in Central America or the Spanish West Indies in the m...
What are common misspellings of "filibuster"?
Common misspellings include "ffilibuster", "fiilbuster", "filbiuster", "filibbuster", "filibsuter". The correct spelling is "filibuster".
How do you pronounce "filibuster"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "filibuster" is /ˈfɪlɪbʌstə(ɹ)/. 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 "filibuster"?
Borrowed from Spanish filibustero (“pirate”), from French flibustier, ultimately from Dutch vrijbuiter (“freebooter”), from vrij (“free”) + buit (“booty”) + -er (“agent”). The alteration in the first syllable in French is due to the word's being s... 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 "filibuster", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 10 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

fatherhood#33,230grandstand#33,258Eastbourne#33,217downsizing#33,212

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (15 here; floor ≥5).

grumbling15 variantsdivination15 variantsclementine15 variantslifesaving15 variants

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list