hibiscus

/hɪˈbɪskəs/

//hɪˈbɪskəs// noun

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

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

The verdict

“hibiscus” has 12 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #38,885. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#38,885
frequency rank, English
2,646
“H” headwords
12
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - A flowering plant of the genus Hibiscus, especially Hibiscus syriacus, found in tropical to temperate regions, of some species used for making infusions/tea.

Corpus desk

Index EN-hibiscus · hibiscus · English

hibiscus · rank #38,885 · 12 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #38,885
  • LEN-LONG 8 letters
  • VOW-3 3 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-MID 12 variants
  • BOOK-MID 2,646
  • PHOTO-FINISH heterogeneity

Nearest frequency peer: heterogeneity (-1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “hibiscus”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “hibiscus” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for hibiscus
PropertyValue
Headwordhibiscus
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/hɪˈbɪskəs/
Letters8
Frequency rank#38,885
Misspellings tracked12
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “hibiscus”

Word frequency stretches from the small set of words we reach for constantly (left) out to the long tail barely used once in a while (right).hibiscuslands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Ticks step logarithmically, so each one marks a roughly tenfold drop in how often the word turns up. Same rarity band neighbours include “heterogeneity” (#38,884), “hillman” (#38,886), “hin” (#38,887). Among 2,646 “H” headwords, “hibiscus” is #38,885. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 12 spelling variants around hibiscus (IPA /hɪˈbɪskəs/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #38,885 among 2,646 “H” headwords. Wiktionary lists 2 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 12 likely wrong-spelling variants for hibiscus, with forms such as "hbiiscus", "hhibiscus", and "hibbiscus". 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, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Late Latin hibiscus, from Latin hibiscum, from Ancient Greek ἰβίσκος (ibískos, “marsh mallow”), probably ultimately from Gaulish. The correct English form is hibiscus, spelled H-I-B-I-S-C-U-S.

Definition

  1. 1
    A flowering plant of the genus Hibiscus, especially Hibiscus syriacus, found in tropical to temperate regions, of some species used for making infusions/tea.
  2. 2
    A cocktail made with champagne and cranberry juice.

Recorded use

Wiktionary example

These source excerpts show how hibiscus appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. There were red hibiscus flowers splashed all over it, yellow dots quivering at the stamens.

Etymology

From Late Latin hibiscus, from Latin hibiscum, from Ancient Greek ἰβίσκος (ibískos, “marsh mallow”), probably ultimately from Gaulish.

This word in other languages

hibisco(Español)hibiscus(Français)Hibiskus(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • hbiiscus
  • hhibiscus
  • hibbiscus
  • hibicsus
  • hibisccus
  • hibiscsu
  • hibiscuss
  • hibisscus
  • hibisucs
  • hibsicus
  • hiibscus
  • ihbiscus

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of hibiscus - 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.

hbiiscus2hhibiscus1hibbiscus1hibicsus2hibisccus1hibiscsu2hibiscuss1hibisscus1
Edit distance from "hibiscus"

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 "hibiscus"?
"hibiscus" is spelled H-I-B-I-S-C-U-S. The IPA pronunciation is /hɪˈbɪskəs/.
What does "hibiscus" mean?
As a noun, "hibiscus" means: A flowering plant of the genus Hibiscus, especially Hibiscus syriacus, found in tropical to temperate regions, of some species used for making infusions/tea.
What are common misspellings of "hibiscus"?
Common misspellings include "hbiiscus", "hhibiscus", "hibbiscus", "hibicsus", "hibisccus". The correct spelling is "hibiscus".
How do you pronounce "hibiscus"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "hibiscus" is /hɪˈbɪskəs/. 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 "hibiscus"?
From Late Latin hibiscus, from Latin hibiscum, from Ancient Greek ἰβίσκος (ibískos, “marsh mallow”), probably ultimately from Gaulish. 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.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "hibiscus", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 8 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

Hitchens#38,888Harriman#38,879hardball#38,877Hanukkah#38,876

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (12 here; floor ≥5).

Goodrich12 variantsIsraelite12 variantsJohansen12 variantskeychain12 variants

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list