# gumbo

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈɡʌm.boʊ/ · frequency rank #41,657

## Definitions
1. Synonym of okra: the plant or its edible capsules.
2. A soup or stew popular in Louisiana, consisting of a strong stock, meat or shellfish, a thickener (often okra), and the "Holy Trinity" of celery, bell peppers, and onions.
3. A fine silty soil that when wet becomes very thick and heavy.

## Etymology
Borrowed from Louisiana French gombo, possibly via Louisiana Creole gombo, from Kimbundu ingombo, plural of kingombo (“okra”); compare Portuguese quingombó.

## Easily confused with
- **Guo** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gumbo-vs-guo)
- **gums** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gumbo-vs-gums)
- **gump** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gumbo-vs-gump)
- **gusto** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gumbo-vs-gusto)
- **gummy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gumbo-vs-gummy)
- **gum** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gum-vs-gumbo)
- **GMO** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gmo-vs-gumbo)
- **GmbH** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gmbh-vs-gumbo)
- **Guido** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/guido-vs-gumbo)
- **guano** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/guano-vs-gumbo)
- **garbo** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/garbo-vs-gumbo)

## Common misspellings (7)
`ggumbo`, `gmubo`, `gubmo`, `gumbbo`, `gummbo`, `gumob`, `ugmbo`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/gumbo