glug

/ɡlʌɡ/

//ɡlʌɡ// noun

"glug" is a 4-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“glug” is uncommon English (frequency #86,312 among 18,276 “G” headwords), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#86,312
frequency rank, English
18,276
“G” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - The sound made when a significant amount of liquid is poured suddenly out of something, such as a jug or bottle.

Key facts for glug
PropertyValue
Headwordglug
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ɡlʌɡ/
Letters4
Frequency rank#86,312
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “glug” 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). glug lands here:

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

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

glug is uncommon English at frequency #86,312 among 18,276 “G” headwords, classed as anoun, transcribed /ɡlʌɡ/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 2 senses are on record.

Zero misspellings are on record for glug in our index, typically a sign the spelling maps closely to how the word sounds. Our confusable-pair dataset has no match for it, which typically means the spelling is too distinctive to be mistaken for another word.

Etymologically, the entry records: Onomatopoeic, imitating the sound of pouring or swallowing liquid. The correct English form is glug, spelled G-L-U-G.

Definition

  1. 1
    The sound made when a significant amount of liquid is poured suddenly out of something, such as a jug or bottle.
  2. 2
    The amount of liquid issued when the "glug" sound is heard.

Etymology

Onomatopoeic, imitating the sound of pouring or swallowing liquid.

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 "glug"?
"glug" is spelled G-L-U-G. The IPA pronunciation is /ɡlʌɡ/.
What does "glug" mean?
As a noun, "glug" means: The sound made when a significant amount of liquid is poured suddenly out of something, such as a jug or bottle.
How do you pronounce "glug"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "glug" is /ɡlʌɡ/. 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 "glug"?
Onomatopoeic, imitating the sound of pouring or swallowing liquid. 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 “glug”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is G-L-U-G - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ɡlʌɡ/ (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

Other uncommon English words near this rank

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