idol

/ˈaɪ.dl̩/

//ˈaɪ.dl̩// noun

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

"idol" is a 4-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“idol” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #7,802 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#7,802
frequency rank, English
4
letters
5
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A graven image or representation of anything that is revered, or believed to convey spiritual power.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

idol vs io
50% similar
idol vs ill
50% similar
idol vs ion
50% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for idol
PropertyValue
Headwordidol
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈaɪ.dl̩/
Letters4
Frequency rank#7,802
Misspellings tracked5
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “idol” 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). idol 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 idol is 4 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈaɪ.dl̩/. Corpus data places it at rank #7,802 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 4 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 5 likely wrong-spelling variants for idol, with forms such as "diol", "iddol", and "idlo". 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. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "io", "ill", "ion", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English ydole, from Old French idole, from Latin idolum, from Ancient Greek εἴδωλον (eídōlon, “image, idol”), from εἶδος (eîdos, “form”), from Proto-Indo-European *wéydos (“seeing, image”), from *weyd- (“to see”). Doublet of aidoru, eidolon, and… The correct English form is idol, spelled I-D-O-L.

Definition

  1. 1
    A graven image or representation of anything that is revered, or believed to convey spiritual power.
  2. 2
    A cultural icon, or especially popular person.
  3. 3
    A popular entertainer, usually young, captivating and attractive, and often female, with an image of being close to fans.
  4. 4
    An eidolon or phantom; a misleading or elusive image or representation.

Etymology

From Middle English ydole, from Old French idole, from Latin idolum, from Ancient Greek εἴδωλον (eídōlon, “image, idol”), from εἶδος (eîdos, “form”), from Proto-Indo-European *wéydos (“seeing, image”), from *weyd- (“to see”). Doublet of aidoru, eidolon, and idolum and related to idea.

Synonyms

iconstarsuperstar

This word in other languages

ídolo(Español)idole(Français)Idol(Deutsch)ídolo(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: diol,iddol,idlo,idoll,iodl

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

diol2iddol1idlo2idoll1iodl2
Edit distance from "idol"

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 "idol"?
"idol" is spelled I-D-O-L. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈaɪ.dl̩/.
What does "idol" mean?
As a noun, "idol" means: A graven image or representation of anything that is revered, or believed to convey spiritual power.
What words are commonly confused with "idol"?
"idol" is commonly confused with "io", "ill", "ion". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "idol"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "idol" is /ˈaɪ.dl̩/. 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 "idol"?
From Middle English ydole, from Old French idole, from Latin idolum, from Ancient Greek εἴδωλον (eídōlon, “image, idol”), from εἶδος (eîdos, “form”), from Proto-Indo-European *wéydos (“seeing, image”), from *weyd- (“to see”). Doublet of aidoru, ei... 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 “idol”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is I-D-O-L - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈaɪ.dl̩/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “io” - see the side-by-side comparison. idol vs io
  • 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