guv
"guv" is a 3-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“guv” is an uncommon English word, ranked #82,359 in English word frequency and used as a noun.
- #82,359
- frequency rank, English
- 3
- letters
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A form of address to a man, usually a stranger or a superior.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | guv |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Noun |
| Letters | 3 |
| Frequency rank | #82,359 |
| Misspellings tracked | 0 |
| Confusable pairs | 0 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Where “guv” sits in English frequency
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
The English entry for guv is 3 letters long, classified as a noun. Corpus data places it at rank #82,359 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 2 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.
We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for guv, a sign its spelling follows regular English conventions. Our confusable-pair dataset has no match for it, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.
Etymologically, the entry records: Alternative phonetic spelling of gov, short for governor. The correct English form is guv, spelled G-U-V.
Definition
- 1A form of address to a man, usually a stranger or a superior.
- 2A male prison officer.
Etymology
Alternative phonetic spelling of gov, short for governor.
This word in other languages
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
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Using “guv”
The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.
- The one correct English spelling is G-U-V - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
- 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.