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go

Definition, pronunciation, etymology, and usage for the English word. Free spelling reference powered by Wiktionary.

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Letters

2 characters

Language

English

word origin

Source

Wiktionary

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Detailed reference entry for the English word "go", 2-letters, with pronunciation in International Phonetic Alphabet notation, etymology traced through Germanic and Romance roots where applicable, common misspelling variants catalogued from Hunspell error dictionaries, and usage frequency ranked against the top 100,000 English words in the Wordfreq corpus. PlainSpell covers English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and German spelling with confusable-pair detection that highlights visually and phonetically similar words. This entry for "go" includes synonyms, antonyms, homophones, and cross-language translation pointers sourced from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org extract. Whether you are verifying the correct spelling of "go" for academic writing, checking homophone confusion, or exploring etymological origins, this page provides a citation-backed, free reference that requires no sign-up.

go is aEnglishverb. It means: To move, either physically or in an abstract sense: Pronounced /ɡoʊ/. It ranks #98 in English word frequency. Often confused with GP and GS.

Key facts for go
PropertyValue
Headwordgo
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ɡoʊ/
Letters2
Frequency rank#98
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency rank visualization

Position of go in English word frequency (lower rank = more common)

Source: Wordfreq corpus

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for go is 2 letters long, classified as averb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ɡoʊ/. Corpus data places it at rank #98 in overall English word frequency, putting it firmly in the everyday core of the language.Wiktionary records 69 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

No frequent misspelling variants are recorded for go in our index, suggesting the orthography either follows predictable English patterns or the word is uncommon enough that typo corpora lack signal.It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "GP", "GS", "GR", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English gon, goon, from Old English gān (“to go”), from Proto-West Germanic *gān, from Proto-Germanic *gāną (“to go”), from Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰeh₁- (“to leave”). The inherited past tense form yode (compare Old English ēode) was replaced thro… Root origin matters for spelling because borrowed morphemes (Greek, Latin, Old French, Old English) carry their source-language orthographic conventions into modern English, which is why historical etymology is often the cleanest predictor of whether a cluster like "-ough", "-eau", or "-tion" will appear. For readers arriving here from a spelling check, the authoritative guidance is: the correct English form is go, spelled G-O, and any other sequence of those letters, regardless of how natural it feels, is a misspelling in standard orthography.

Definition

  1. 1
    To move, either physically or in an abstract sense:
  2. 2
    To move, either physically or in an abstract sense:
  3. 3
    To move, either physically or in an abstract sense:
  4. 4
    To move, either physically or in an abstract sense:
  5. 5
    To move, either physically or in an abstract sense:
  6. 6
    To move, either physically or in an abstract sense:
  7. 7
    To move, either physically or in an abstract sense:
  8. 8
    To move, either physically or in an abstract sense:
  9. 9
    To move, either physically or in an abstract sense:
  10. 10
    To work or function (properly); to move or perform (as required).
  11. 11
    To start; to begin (an action or process).
  12. 12
    To take a turn, especially in a game.
  13. 13
    To attend.
  14. 14
    To proceed:
  15. 15
    To proceed:
  16. 16
    To extend along.
  17. 17
    To extend (from one point in time or space to another).
  18. 18
    To lead (to a place); to give access (to).
  19. 19
    To become, move to or come to (a state, position, situation)
  20. 20
    To become, move to or come to (a state, position, situation)
  21. 21
    To become, move to or come to (a state, position, situation)
  22. 22
    To assume the obligation or function of; to be, to serve as.
  23. 23
    To continuously or habitually be in a state.
  24. 24
    To turn out, to result; to come to (a certain result).
  25. 25
    To tend (toward a result)
  26. 26
    To contribute to a (specified) end product or result.
  27. 27
    To pass, to be used up:
  28. 28
    To pass, to be used up:
  29. 29
    To pass, to be used up:
  30. 30
    To die.
  31. 31
    To be lost or out:
  32. 32
    To be lost or out:
  33. 33
    To break down or apart:
  34. 34
    To break down or apart:
  35. 35
    To be sold.
  36. 36
    To be discarded or disposed of.
  37. 37
    To be given, especially to be assigned or allotted.
  38. 38
    To survive or get by; to last or persist for a stated length of time.
  39. 39
    To have a certain record.
  40. 40
    To be authoritative, accepted, or valid:
  41. 41
    To be authoritative, accepted, or valid:
  42. 42
    To be authoritative, accepted, or valid:
  43. 43
    To say (something), to make a sound:
  44. 44
    To say (something), to make a sound:
  45. 45
    To say (something), to make a sound:
  46. 46
    To be expressed or composed (a certain way).
  47. 47
    To resort (to).
  48. 48
    To apply or subject oneself to:
  49. 49
    To apply or subject oneself to:
  50. 50
    To apply or subject oneself to:
  51. 51
    To fit (in a place, or together with something):
  52. 52
    To fit (in a place, or together with something):
  53. 53
    To fit (in a place, or together with something):
  54. 54
    To fit (in a place, or together with something):
  55. 55
    To date.
  56. 56
    To (begin to) date or have sex with (a particular race).
  57. 57
    To attack:
  58. 58
    To attack:
  59. 59
    To attack:
  60. 60
    Used to express how some category of things generally is, as a reference for, contrast to, or comparison with, a particular example.
  61. 61
    To take (a particular part or share); to participate in to the extent of.
  62. 62
    To yield or weigh.
  63. 63
    To offer, bid or bet an amount; to pay; to sell for.
  64. 64
    To enjoy. (Compare go for.)
  65. 65
    To go to the toilet; to urinate or defecate.
  66. 66
    Expressing encouragement or approval.
  67. 67
    Clipping of go to the.
  68. 68
    To fight, usually with the fists.
  69. 69
    To pass (a specified time) in gestation; to be pregnant.

Etymology

From Middle English gon, goon, from Old English gān (“to go”), from Proto-West Germanic *gān, from Proto-Germanic *gāną (“to go”), from Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰeh₁- (“to leave”). The inherited past tense form yode (compare Old English ēode) was replaced through suppletion in the 15th century by went, from Old English wendan (“to go, depart, wend”). cognates and related terms Cognate with Scots gae, gan, gang, ging, gyang (“to go”), Yola go, goe, goeth, gow (“to go”), West Frisian gean (“to go”), Alemannic German gaa, go (“to go, walk, step”), Bavarian geh (“to go”), Cimbrian ghéenan, gian (“to go”), Dutch gaan (“to go”), Dutch Low Saxon gan, gaon (“to go”), German gehen (“to go”), German Low German gahn (“to go”), Limburgish gaon, goëne (“to go”), Luxembourgish goen (“to go”), Vilamovian gejn, gyjn (“to go”), Yiddish גיין (geyn, “to go, walk”), Danish, Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk, and Swedish gå (“to go, walk”), Crimean Gothic geen (“to go”), Gothic 𐌲𐌰𐌲𐌲𐌰𐌽 (gaggan, “to go”). Compare also Albanian ngah (“to run, drive, go”), Ancient Greek κιχάνω (kikhánō, “to meet with, arrive at”), Avestan 𐬰𐬀𐬰𐬁𐬨𐬌 (zazāmi), Sanskrit जहाति (jáhāti, “to shun, avoid, lay aside”).

This word in other languages

Spanish(Español)Portuguese(Português)French(Français)German(Deutsch)

Frequency rank: #98 in English

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "go"?
"go" is spelled G-O. The IPA pronunciation is /ɡoʊ/.
What does "go" mean?
As a verb, "go" means: To move, either physically or in an abstract sense:
What words are commonly confused with "go"?
"go" is commonly confused with "GP", "GS", "GR". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "go"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "go" is /ɡoʊ/. 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 "go"?
From Middle English gon, goon, from Old English gān (“to go”), from Proto-West Germanic *gān, from Proto-Germanic *gāną (“to go”), from Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰeh₁- (“to leave”). The inherited past tense form yode (compare Old English ēode) was rep... 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.

Nearby English words

Other entries that begin with the letter G in our English index:

All "G" wordsABCDEFGHIJKL

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Data Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Frequency data from Wordfreq. Misspellings derived from Hunspell dictionaries.