gorgeous

/ˈɡɔː.dʒəs/

//ˈɡɔː.dʒəs// adj

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

"gorgeous" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“gorgeous” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #3,946 in English word frequency and used as an adjective.

#3,946
frequency rank, English
8
letters
11
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Sumptuously dressed.

Key facts for gorgeous
PropertyValue
Headwordgorgeous
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ˈɡɔː.dʒəs/
Letters8
Frequency rank#3,946
Misspellings tracked11
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “gorgeous” 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). gorgeous 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 gorgeous is 8 letters long, classified as an adjective, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈɡɔː.dʒəs/. Corpus data places it at rank #3,946 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 3 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 11 likely wrong-spelling variants for gorgeous, with forms such as "ggorgeous", "gogreous", and "goregous". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. We don't track a confusable pairing for this entry, since its spelling is unusual enough that it doesn't cluster with a lookalike.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English gorgeouse, a borrowing from Middle French gorgias (“elegant, fashionable”), from Old French gourgias, gorgias (“gorgeous, gaudy, flaunting, gallant, fine”), of uncertain origin, but apparently connected with Old French gorgias (“a gorget… The correct English form is gorgeous, spelled G-O-R-G-E-O-U-S.

Definition

  1. 1
    Sumptuously dressed.
  2. 2
    Very beautiful.
  3. 3
    Very enjoyable, pleasant, tasty, etc.

Etymology

From Middle English gorgeouse, a borrowing from Middle French gorgias (“elegant, fashionable”), from Old French gourgias, gorgias (“gorgeous, gaudy, flaunting, gallant, fine”), of uncertain origin, but apparently connected with Old French gorgias (“a gorget, ruffle for the neck”), from Old French gorge (“bosom, throat”). See gorge. Semantic evolution probably akin to "swelling of the throat or bosom due to pride, bridling up" to "assume an air of importance, flaunting".

This word in other languages

magnifique(Français)wunderschön(Deutsch)magnífico(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: ggorgeous,gogreous,goregous,gorgeosu,gorgeouss,gorgeuos,gorggeous,gorgoeus,gorrgeous,grogeous,ogrgeous

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of gorgeous - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

ggorgeous1gogreous2goregous2gorgeosu2gorgeouss1gorgeuos2gorggeous1gorgoeus2
Edit distance from "gorgeous"

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 "gorgeous"?
"gorgeous" is spelled G-O-R-G-E-O-U-S. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈɡɔː.dʒəs/.
What does "gorgeous" mean?
As an adjective, "gorgeous" means: Sumptuously dressed.
What are common misspellings of "gorgeous"?
Common misspellings include "ggorgeous", "gogreous", "goregous", "gorgeosu", "gorgeouss". The correct spelling is "gorgeous".
How do you pronounce "gorgeous"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "gorgeous" is /ˈɡɔː.dʒəs/. 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 "gorgeous"?
From Middle English gorgeouse, a borrowing from Middle French gorgias (“elegant, fashionable”), from Old French gourgias, gorgias (“gorgeous, gaudy, flaunting, gallant, fine”), of uncertain origin, but apparently connected with Old French gorgias ... 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 “gorgeous”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is G-O-R-G-E-O-U-S - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈɡɔː.dʒəs/ (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