malleus

/ˈmæl.i.əs/

//ˈmæl.i.əs// noun

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

"malleus" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“malleus” is uncommon English (frequency #97,265 among 36,575 “M” headwords), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#97,265
frequency rank, English
36,575
“M” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - The small hammer-shaped bone of the middle ear.

Key facts for malleus
PropertyValue
Headwordmalleus
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈmæl.i.əs/
Letters7
Frequency rank#97,265
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “malleus” 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). malleus lands here:

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

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

malleus is uncommon English at frequency #97,265 among 36,575 “M” headwords, classed as anoun, transcribed /ˈmæl.i.əs/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 3 senses are on record.

Our edit-distance generator produced no likely misspellings for malleus, since its letter sequence doesn't invite the usual edit-distance slips. 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 Latin malleus (“hammer, mallet”). Doublet of maul. The correct English form is malleus, spelled M-A-L-L-E-U-S.

Definition

  1. 1
    The small hammer-shaped bone of the middle ear.
  2. 2
    The tripus (ossicle in cypriniform fishes).
  3. 3
    One of the paired calcareous structures within the mastax of rotifers.

Etymology

From Latin malleus (“hammer, mallet”). Doublet of maul.

Synonyms

hammermalleus Weberitripus

This word in other languages

martillo(Español)malléus(Français)Hammer(Deutsch)martelo(Português)

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 "malleus"?
"malleus" is spelled M-A-L-L-E-U-S. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈmæl.i.əs/.
What does "malleus" mean?
As a noun, "malleus" means: The small hammer-shaped bone of the middle ear.
How do you pronounce "malleus"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "malleus" is /ˈmæl.i.əs/. 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 "malleus"?
From Latin malleus (“hammer, mallet”). Doublet of maul. 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 “malleus”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is M-A-L-L-E-U-S - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈmæl.i.əs/ (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

Other uncommon English words near this rank

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