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 May 6, 2026) - Common sense; sensibleness.

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)

Where “good sense” sits in English frequency

good sense falls outside the top-100,000 ranked English words, the long-tail zone of technical, archaic, or low-frequency vocabulary, exactly where readers second-guess spellings most.

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.

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.

Using “good sense”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is G-O-O-D- -S-E-N-S-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˌɡʊd ˈsɛn(t)s/ (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.

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

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