good sense

/ˌɡʊd ˈsɛn(t)s/

//ˌɡʊd ˈsɛn(t)s// noun

"good-sense" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“good sense” is uncommon English (outside the top frequency list), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

Unranked
below top-frequency English
10
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - Common sense; sensibleness.

Corpus desk

Index EN-good-sense · good sense · English

good sense · unranked · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-UNRANKED Unranked
  • LEN-MEGA 10 letters
  • VOW-4 4 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-THIN "G" thin
  • PHOTO-UNK Peer pending

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.

Key facts for good sense
PropertyValue
Headwordgood sense
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˌɡʊd ˈsɛn(t)s/
Letters10
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “good sense” in English

good sensesits beyond the 100,000 most-frequent English words, in the long tail of technical, archaic, or otherwise rare vocabulary where spelling doubt tends to strike hardest.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

good sense is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as anoun, transcribed /ˌɡʊd ˈsɛn(t)s/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. Gloss: "Common sense; sensibleness.".

We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for good sense, suggesting the orthography follows predictable English patterns. We don't track a confusable pairing for this entry, which tends to mean the word is visually distinctive enough to stand on its own.

Etymologically, the entry records: Calque of Middle French bon sens, from Old French boin sens (modern French bon sens (“common sense, good sense”)). The correct English form is good sense, spelled G-O-O-D- -S-E-N-S-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    Common sense; sensibleness.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. I have divers of their Letters by me, where in there is neither good matter, good Language, good Senſe, nor true Engliſh.
  2. They uſe Equivocal or Ambiguous Words, and Metaphorical or Figurative Expreſſions, becauſe they do not ſo much ſuſpect the Underſtanding and good Senſe of their Readers, as once to think, that they can take theſe Expreſſions, in a Senſe that is contrary to known and agreed Truths.

Etymology

Calque of Middle French bon sens, from Old French boin sens (modern French bon sens (“common sense, good sense”)).

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "good sense"?
"good sense" is spelled G-O-O-D- -S-E-N-S-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˌɡʊd ˈsɛn(t)s/.
What does "good sense" mean?
As a noun, "good sense" means: Common sense; sensibleness.
How do you pronounce "good sense"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "good sense" is /ˌɡʊd ˈsɛn(t)s/. 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 "good sense"?
Calque of Middle French bon sens, from Old French boin sens (modern French bon sens (“common sense, good sense”)). 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.

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list