McIntosh

/ˈmækɪntɒʃ/

//ˈmækɪntɒʃ// name

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

The verdict

“McIntosh” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #24,825 in English word frequency and used as a proper noun.

#24,825
frequency rank, English
8
letters
13
tracked misspellings
2
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A surname from Scottish Gaelic.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

McIntosh vs macintosh
67% similar
McIntosh vs mackintosh
60% similar

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

Key facts for McIntosh
PropertyValue
HeadwordMcIntosh
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechProper noun
IPA/ˈmækɪntɒʃ/
Letters8
Frequency rank#24,825
Misspellings tracked13
Confusable pairs2
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “McIntosh” 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). McIntosh 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 McIntosh is 8 letters long, classified as a proper noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈmækɪntɒʃ/. Corpus data places it at rank #24,825 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 9 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 13 likely wrong-spelling variants for McIntosh, with forms such as "cmintosh", "mccintosh", and "mcinntosh". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 2 confusable-pair relationships, "macintosh", "mackintosh", a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: Anglicized form of Scottish Gaelic Mac an Tòisiche. The correct English form is McIntosh, spelled M-C-I-N-T-O-S-H.

Definition

  1. 1
    A surname from Scottish Gaelic.
  2. 2
    A number of places in the United States:
  3. 3
    A number of places in the United States:
  4. 4
    A number of places in the United States:
  5. 5
    A number of places in the United States:
  6. 6
    A number of places in the United States:
  7. 7
    A number of places in the United States:
  8. 8
    A number of places in the United States:
  9. 9
    A community in the Kenora District, Ontario, Canada.

Etymology

Anglicized form of Scottish Gaelic Mac an Tòisiche.

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: cmintosh,mccintosh,mcinntosh,mcinotsh,mcintohs,mcintoshh,mcintossh,mcintsoh,mcinttosh,mcitnosh,mcnitosh,micntosh,mmcintosh

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of McIntosh - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

cmintosh2mccintosh1mcinntosh1mcinotsh2mcintohs2mcintoshh1mcintossh1mcintsoh2
Edit distance from "McIntosh"

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 "McIntosh"?
"McIntosh" is spelled M-C-I-N-T-O-S-H. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈmækɪntɒʃ/.
What does "McIntosh" mean?
As a proper noun, "McIntosh" means: A surname from Scottish Gaelic.
What words are commonly confused with "McIntosh"?
"McIntosh" is commonly confused with "macintosh", "mackintosh". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "McIntosh"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "McIntosh" is /ˈmækɪntɒʃ/. 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 "McIntosh"?
Anglicized form of Scottish Gaelic Mac an Tòisiche. 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 “McIntosh”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is M-C-I-N-T-O-S-H - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈmækɪntɒʃ/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “macintosh” - see the side-by-side comparison. McIntosh vs macintosh
  • 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