glyph

/ɡlɪf/

//ɡlɪf// noun

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

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

The verdict

“glyph” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #41,646 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#41,646
frequency rank, English
5
letters
9
tracked misspellings
4
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A figure carved in relief or incised, especially representing a sound, word, or idea.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

glyph vs graph
60% similar
glyph vs glyphs
83% similar
glyph vs glyn
60% similar

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

Key facts for glyph
PropertyValue
Headwordglyph
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ɡlɪf/
Letters5
Frequency rank#41,646
Misspellings tracked9
Confusable pairs4
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “glyph” 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). glyph lands here:

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

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

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for glyph is 5 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ɡlɪf/. Corpus data places it at rank #41,646 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 7 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 glyph, with forms such as "gglyph", "gllyph", and "glpyh". 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. It also participates in 4 confusable-pair relationships, "graph", "glyphs", "glyn", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: First attested in 1727. Borrowed from French glyphe, from Ancient Greek γλυφή (gluphḗ, “carving”), from γλύφω (glúphō, “I carve, engrave”). The correct English form is glyph, spelled G-L-Y-P-H.

Definition

  1. 1
    A figure carved in relief or incised, especially representing a sound, word, or idea.
  2. 2
    A figure carved in relief or incised, especially representing a sound, word, or idea.
  3. 3
    Any non-verbal symbol that imparts information.
  4. 4
    A visual representation of a letter, character, or symbol, in a specific font and style.
  5. 5
    A vertical groove.
  6. 6
    A land snail of the genus Glyphyalinia
  7. 7
    Any of various black-and-white noctuid moths with figural-like wing patterns, such as those in Protodeltote, Deltote, and Maliattha.

Etymology

First attested in 1727. Borrowed from French glyphe, from Ancient Greek γλυφή (gluphḗ, “carving”), from γλύφω (glúphō, “I carve, engrave”).

Synonyms

sort

This word in other languages

glifo(Español)glyphe(Français)Zeichen(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: gglyph,gllyph,glpyh,glyhp,glyphh,glypph,glyyph,gylph,lgyph

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

gglyph1gllyph1glpyh2glyhp2glyphh1glypph1glyyph1gylph2
Edit distance from "glyph"

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 "glyph"?
"glyph" is spelled G-L-Y-P-H. The IPA pronunciation is /ɡlɪf/.
What does "glyph" mean?
As a noun, "glyph" means: A figure carved in relief or incised, especially representing a sound, word, or idea.
What words are commonly confused with "glyph"?
"glyph" is commonly confused with "graph", "glyphs", "glyn". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "glyph"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "glyph" is /ɡlɪf/. 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 "glyph"?
First attested in 1727. Borrowed from French glyphe, from Ancient Greek γλυφή (gluphḗ, “carving”), from γλύφω (glúphō, “I carve, engrave”). 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 “glyph”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is G-L-Y-P-H - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ɡlɪf/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “graph” - see the side-by-side comparison. glyph vs graph
  • 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.

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list