harbinger

/ˈhɑːbɪndʒə/

//ˈhɑːbɪndʒə// noun

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

"harbinger" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“harbinger” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #32,427 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#32,427
frequency rank, English
9
letters
14
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A person or thing that foreshadows or foretells the coming of someone or something.

Key facts for harbinger
PropertyValue
Headwordharbinger
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈhɑːbɪndʒə/
Letters9
Frequency rank#32,427
Misspellings tracked14
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “harbinger” 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). harbinger 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 harbinger is 9 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈhɑːbɪndʒə/. Corpus data places it at rank #32,427 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.

Our generated misspelling index lists 14 likely wrong-spelling variants for harbinger, with forms such as "ahrbinger", "habringer", and "harbbinger". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. This headword has no recorded confusable partner, since nothing in our dataset looks or sounds close enough to cause mix-ups.

Etymologically, the entry records: Originally, a person sent in advance to arrange lodgings. From Middle English herberjour, herbergeour, from Old French herbergeor (French hébergeur), from herbergier (“to set up camp; to shelter; to take shelter”) + -or (suffix forming agent nouns), from Ol… The correct English form is harbinger, spelled H-A-R-B-I-N-G-E-R.

Definition

  1. 1
    A person or thing that foreshadows or foretells the coming of someone or something.
  2. 2
    One who provides lodgings; especially, the officer of the English royal household who formerly preceded the court when travelling, to provide and prepare lodgings.

Etymology

Originally, a person sent in advance to arrange lodgings. From Middle English herberjour, herbergeour, from Old French herbergeor (French hébergeur), from herbergier (“to set up camp; to shelter; to take shelter”) + -or (suffix forming agent nouns), from Old High German heribergan, ultimately from Proto-West Germanic *harjabergu (“army camp, shelter”). Compare German Herberge, Italian albergo, Dutch herberg, English harbor. More at here, borrow.

This word in other languages

anunciador(Español)présage(Français)Vorbote(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: ahrbinger,habringer,harbbinger,harbigner,harbinegr,harbingerr,harbingger,harbingre,harbinnger,harbniger,haribnger,harrbinger,hharbinger,hrabinger

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of harbinger - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

ahrbinger2habringer2harbbinger1harbigner2harbinegr2harbingerr1harbingger1harbingre2
Edit distance from "harbinger"

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 "harbinger"?
"harbinger" is spelled H-A-R-B-I-N-G-E-R. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈhɑːbɪndʒə/.
What does "harbinger" mean?
As a noun, "harbinger" means: A person or thing that foreshadows or foretells the coming of someone or something.
What are common misspellings of "harbinger"?
Common misspellings include "ahrbinger", "habringer", "harbbinger", "harbigner", "harbinegr". The correct spelling is "harbinger".
How do you pronounce "harbinger"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "harbinger" is /ˈhɑːbɪndʒə/. 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 "harbinger"?
Originally, a person sent in advance to arrange lodgings. From Middle English herberjour, herbergeour, from Old French herbergeor (French hébergeur), from herbergier (“to set up camp; to shelter; to take shelter”) + -or (suffix forming agent nouns... 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 “harbinger”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is H-A-R-B-I-N-G-E-R - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈhɑːbɪndʒə/ (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