griffon

/ˈɡɹɪfən/

//ˈɡɹɪfən// noun

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

"griffon" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“griffon” is uncommon English (frequency #61,503 among 18,276 “G” headwords), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#61,503
frequency rank, English
18,276
“G” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Alternative form of griffin (legendary creature)

Key facts for griffon
PropertyValue
Headwordgriffon
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈɡɹɪfən/
Letters7
Frequency rank#61,503
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “griffon” 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). griffon 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

griffon is uncommon English at frequency #61,503 among 18,276 “G” headwords, classed as anoun, transcribed /ˈɡɹɪfən/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 3 senses are on record.

Our edit-distance generator produced no likely misspellings for griffon, suggesting the orthography follows predictable English patterns. This headword has no recorded confusable partner, which typically means the spelling is too distinctive to be mistaken for another word.

Etymologically, the entry records: See griffin. The correct English form is griffon, spelled G-R-I-F-F-O-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    Alternative form of griffin (legendary creature)
  2. 2
    A breed of dog usually called the Brussels griffon, reminiscent of the legendary creature.
  3. 3
    A griffon vulture.

Etymology

See griffin.

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 "griffon"?
"griffon" is spelled G-R-I-F-F-O-N. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈɡɹɪfən/.
What does "griffon" mean?
As a noun, "griffon" means: Alternative form of griffin (legendary creature)
How do you pronounce "griffon"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "griffon" is /ˈɡɹɪfən/. 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 "griffon"?
See griffin. 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 “griffon”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is G-R-I-F-F-O-N - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈɡɹɪfən/ (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 FrequencyWords open word-frequency list