gowan

/ˈɡəʊ.ən/

//ˈɡəʊ.ən// noun

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

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

The verdict

“gowan” is uncommon English (frequency #71,539 among 18,276 “G” headwords), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#71,539
frequency rank, English
18,276
“G” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A common daisy (Bellis perennis).

Key facts for gowan
PropertyValue
Headwordgowan
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈɡəʊ.ən/
Letters5
Frequency rank#71,539
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “gowan” 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). gowan lands here:

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

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

Rare enough to double-check

gowan is uncommon English at frequency #71,539 among 18,276 “G” headwords, classed as anoun, transcribed /ˈɡəʊ.ən/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 2 senses are on record.

Zero misspellings are on record for gowan in our index, since its letter sequence doesn't invite the usual edit-distance slips. This entry stands alone in our confusable dataset, since no other headword is close enough in sound or shape to pair with it.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Scots, from Scottish Gaelic [Term?]. The correct English form is gowan, spelled G-O-W-A-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    A common daisy (Bellis perennis).
  2. 2
    Decomposed granite.

Etymology

From Scots, from Scottish Gaelic [Term?].

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 "gowan"?
"gowan" is spelled G-O-W-A-N. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈɡəʊ.ən/.
What does "gowan" mean?
As a noun, "gowan" means: A common daisy (Bellis perennis).
How do you pronounce "gowan"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "gowan" is /ˈɡəʊ.ən/. 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 "gowan"?
From Scots, from Scottish Gaelic [Term?]. 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 “gowan”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is G-O-W-A-N - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈɡəʊ.ən/ (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

Other uncommon English words near this rank

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