gown

/ɡaʊn/

//ɡaʊn// noun

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

"gown" is a 4-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“gown” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #10,375 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#10,375
frequency rank, English
4
letters
6
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A loose, flowing upper garment.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

gown vs gun
50% similar
gown vs GYN
0% similar
gown vs grow
50% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for gown
PropertyValue
Headwordgown
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ɡaʊn/
Letters4
Frequency rank#10,375
Misspellings tracked6
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “gown” 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). gown 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 gown is 4 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ɡaʊn/. Corpus data places it at rank #10,375 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 8 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 6 likely wrong-spelling variants for gown, with forms such as "ggown", "gonw", and "gownn". 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. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "gun", "GYN", "grow", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English gowne, from Anglo-Norman goune, gune (“fur-trimmed coat, pelisse”), from Old French goune, from Late Latin gunna (“leather garment, a fur”). Cognate with Manx gooyn, Irish gúna. The correct English form is gown, spelled G-O-W-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    A loose, flowing upper garment.
  2. 2
    A woman's ordinary outer dress, such as a calico or silk gown.
  3. 3
    The official robe of certain professionals, clerics, and scholars, such as university students and officers, barristers, judges, etc.
  4. 4
    The official robe of certain professionals, clerics, and scholars, such as university students and officers, barristers, judges, etc.
  5. 5
    The university community, especially as contrasted with the local populace.
  6. 6
    A loose wrapper worn by gentlemen within doors; a dressing gown.
  7. 7
    Any sort of dress or garb.
  8. 8
    The robe worn by a surgeon.

Etymology

From Middle English gowne, from Anglo-Norman goune, gune (“fur-trimmed coat, pelisse”), from Old French goune, from Late Latin gunna (“leather garment, a fur”). Cognate with Manx gooyn, Irish gúna.

This word in other languages

manto(Español)robe(Français)Umhang(Deutsch)vestido(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: ggown,gonw,gownn,gowwn,gwon,ogwn

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of gown - 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.

ggown1gonw2gownn1gowwn1gwon2ogwn2
Edit distance from "gown"

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 "gown"?
"gown" is spelled G-O-W-N. The IPA pronunciation is /ɡaʊn/.
What does "gown" mean?
As a noun, "gown" means: A loose, flowing upper garment.
What words are commonly confused with "gown"?
"gown" is commonly confused with "gun", "GYN", "grow". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "gown"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "gown" is /ɡaʊn/. 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 "gown"?
From Middle English gowne, from Anglo-Norman goune, gune (“fur-trimmed coat, pelisse”), from Old French goune, from Late Latin gunna (“leather garment, a fur”). Cognate with Manx gooyn, Irish gúna. 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 “gown”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is G-O-W-N - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ɡaʊn/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “gun” - see the side-by-side comparison. gown vs gun
  • 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