icebox

/ˈʌɪsbɒks/

//ˈʌɪsbɒks// noun

"icebox" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“icebox” is uncommon English (frequency #65,978 among 2,140 “I” headwords), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#65,978
frequency rank, English
2,140
“I” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - A box or compartment containing ice, typically used to keep provisions cool.

Corpus desk

Index EN-icebox · icebox · English

icebox · rank #65,978 · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-RARE #65,978
  • LEN-LONG 6 letters
  • VOW-3 3 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-MID 2,140
  • PHOTO-FINISH hyperglycemia

Nearest frequency peer: hyperglycemia (-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.

Long-tail ranks near “icebox”

Sparse band: bars invert rank so rarer forms read shorter

corpus weight

What this shows Long-tail view: where “icebox” sits against similarly uncommon English ranks.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for icebox
PropertyValue
Headwordicebox
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈʌɪsbɒks/
Letters6
Frequency rank#65,978
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “icebox” in English

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).iceboxfalls in this rarity band:

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

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Rare peers in the same band: “hyperglycemia” (#65,977), “Ileana” (#65,979), “Hurston” (#65,975). Among 2,140 “I” headwords, “icebox” is #65,978. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

icebox is uncommon English at frequency #65,978 among 2,140 “I” headwords, classed as anoun, transcribed /ˈʌɪsbɒks/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 6 senses are on record.

icebox doesn't appear in our generated misspelling index, and the word's spelling is regular enough that our generator found nothing worth flagging. This entry stands alone in our confusable dataset, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.

Etymologically, the entry records: From ice + box. The correct English form is icebox, spelled I-C-E-B-O-X.

Definition

  1. 1
    A box or compartment containing ice, typically used to keep provisions cool.
  2. 2
    A compartment in a refrigerator that is colder than the rest of the refrigerator and is used as a freezer.
  3. 3
    A refrigerator.
  4. 4
    A city with a cold or snowy climate.
  5. 5
    A prison.
  6. 6
    A morgue.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. I moved here from the icebox of the upper Midwest.
  2. The sister ran after them and brought them back and had Owen heaved into the icebox.

Etymology

From ice + box.

Synonyms

cool boxcoolercoolboxchilly binesky

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

How do you spell "icebox"?
"icebox" is spelled I-C-E-B-O-X. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈʌɪsbɒks/.
What does "icebox" mean?
As a noun, "icebox" means: A box or compartment containing ice, typically used to keep provisions cool.
How do you pronounce "icebox"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "icebox" is /ˈʌɪsbɒks/. 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 "icebox"?
From ice + box. 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 "icebox", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 6 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list