filibuster
/ˈfɪlɪbʌstə(ɹ)/
"filibuster" is a 10-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“filibuster” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #33,239 in English word frequency and used as a noun.
- #33,239
- frequency rank, English
- 10
- letters
- 15
- tracked misspellings
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 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...
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | filibuster |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Noun |
| IPA | /ˈfɪlɪbʌstə(ɹ)/ |
| Letters | 10 |
| Frequency rank | #33,239 |
| Misspellings tracked | 15 |
| Confusable pairs | 0 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Where “filibuster” sits in English frequency
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
The English entry for filibuster is 10 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈfɪlɪbʌstə(ɹ)/. Corpus data places it at rank #33,239 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 3 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.
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
- 1A 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.
- 2A 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.
- 3A member of a legislative body causing such an obstruction.
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
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.
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"?
What does "filibuster" mean?
What are common misspellings of "filibuster"?
How do you pronounce "filibuster"?
What is the origin of the word "filibuster"?
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Using “filibuster”
The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.
- The one correct English spelling is F-I-L-I-B-U-S-T-E-R - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
- Say it as /ˈfɪlɪbʌstə(ɹ)/ (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.