mattress

/ˈmætɹɪs/

//ˈmætɹɪs// noun

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

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

The verdict

“mattress” has 7 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #11,740. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#11,740
frequency rank, English
36,575
“M” headwords
7
tracked misspellings
3
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A pad on which a person can recline and sleep, usually having an inner section of coiled springs covered with foam or other cushioning material then enclosed with cloth fabric.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

mattress vs mistress
75% similar
mattress vs matters
75% similar
mattress vs Matthews
63% similar

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

Key facts for mattress
PropertyValue
Headwordmattress
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈmætɹɪs/
Letters8
Frequency rank#11,740
Misspellings tracked7
Confusable pairs3
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “mattress” 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). mattress lands here:

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

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

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 7 spelling variants around mattress (IPA /ˈmætɹɪs/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #11,740 among 36,575 “M” headwords. Wiktionary lists 3 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 7 likely wrong-spelling variants for mattress, with forms such as "amttress", "matress", and "matrtess". 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 3 confusable-pair relationships, "mistress", "matters", "Matthews", since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English materas, from Old French, from Arabic مَطْرَح (maṭraḥ, “place where something is thrown”), from طَرَحَ (ṭaraḥa, “to throw”). Compare divan, from Persian via Turkish (both of Middle Eastern origin, due to the local custom of lying on padd… The correct English form is mattress, spelled M-A-T-T-R-E-S-S.

Definition

  1. 1
    A pad on which a person can recline and sleep, usually having an inner section of coiled springs covered with foam or other cushioning material then enclosed with cloth fabric.
  2. 2
    A form of retaining wall used to support foundations or an embankment
  3. 3
    A form of lagging, in particular for boilers.

Etymology

From Middle English materas, from Old French, from Arabic مَطْرَح (maṭraḥ, “place where something is thrown”), from طَرَحَ (ṭaraḥa, “to throw”). Compare divan, from Persian via Turkish (both of Middle Eastern origin, due to the local custom of lying on padding on floor being foreign to Europeans).

This word in other languages

colchón(Español)matelas(Français)Matratze(Deutsch)colchão(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • amttress
  • matress
  • matrtess
  • mattrress
  • mattrses
  • mmattress
  • mtatress

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

amttress2matress1matrtess2mattrress1mattrses2mmattress1mtatress2
Edit distance from "mattress"

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 "mattress"?
"mattress" is spelled M-A-T-T-R-E-S-S. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈmætɹɪs/.
What does "mattress" mean?
As a noun, "mattress" means: A pad on which a person can recline and sleep, usually having an inner section of coiled springs covered with foam or other cushioning material then enclosed with cloth fabric.
What words are commonly confused with "mattress"?
"mattress" is commonly confused with "mistress", "matters", "Matthews". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "mattress"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "mattress" is /ˈmætɹɪs/. 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 "mattress"?
From Middle English materas, from Old French, from Arabic مَطْرَح (maṭraḥ, “place where something is thrown”), from طَرَحَ (ṭaraḥa, “to throw”). Compare divan, from Persian via Turkish (both of Middle Eastern origin, due to the local custom of lyi... 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 “mattress”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is M-A-T-T-R-E-S-S - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈmætɹɪs/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “mistress” - see the side-by-side comparison. mattress vs mistress
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words

Same frequency band

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