gulliver

/ˈɡʌlɪvə(ɹ)/

//ˈɡʌlɪvə(ɹ)// noun

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

The verdict

“gulliver” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #40,722 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#40,722
frequency rank, English
8
letters
10
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - one's head.

Key facts for gulliver
PropertyValue
Headwordgulliver
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈɡʌlɪvə(ɹ)/
Letters8
Frequency rank#40,722
Misspellings tracked10
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “gulliver” 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). gulliver 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 gulliver is 8 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈɡʌlɪvə(ɹ)/. Corpus data places it at rank #40,722 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. The dominant gloss from Wiktionary reads: "one's head.".

Our generated misspelling index lists 10 likely wrong-spelling variants for gulliver, with forms such as "ggulliver", "gluliver", and "gulilver". 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 is not paired with a close-neighbour confusable in our dataset, since its spelling is unusual enough that it doesn't cluster with a lookalike.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Russian голова́ (golová, “head; mind, brains”). Probably initially popularized by the Russian-influenced argot spoken by characters in the 1962 novel A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess. Spelling influenced by Gulliver. The correct English form is gulliver, spelled G-U-L-L-I-V-E-R.

Definition

  1. 1
    one's head.

Etymology

From Russian голова́ (golová, “head; mind, brains”). Probably initially popularized by the Russian-influenced argot spoken by characters in the 1962 novel A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess. Spelling influenced by Gulliver.

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: ggulliver,gluliver,gulilver,guliver,gullievr,gulliverr,gullivre,gullivver,gullvier,uglliver

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of gulliver - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

ggulliver1gluliver2gulilver2guliver1gullievr2gulliverr1gullivre2gullivver1
Edit distance from "gulliver"

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 "gulliver"?
"gulliver" is spelled G-U-L-L-I-V-E-R. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈɡʌlɪvə(ɹ)/.
What does "gulliver" mean?
As a noun, "gulliver" means: one's head.
What are common misspellings of "gulliver"?
Common misspellings include "ggulliver", "gluliver", "gulilver", "guliver", "gullievr". The correct spelling is "gulliver".
How do you pronounce "gulliver"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "gulliver" is /ˈɡʌlɪvə(ɹ)/. 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 "gulliver"?
From Russian голова́ (golová, “head; mind, brains”). Probably initially popularized by the Russian-influenced argot spoken by characters in the 1962 novel A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess. Spelling influenced by Gulliver. 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 “gulliver”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is G-U-L-L-I-V-E-R - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈɡʌlɪvə(ɹ)/ (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