mild

/ˈmaɪld/

//ˈmaɪld// adj

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

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

The verdict

“mild” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #5,982 in English word frequency and used as an adjective.

#5,982
frequency rank, English
4
letters
6
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Gentle and not easily angered.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

mild vs ML
0% similar
mild vs mix
50% similar
mild vs min
50% similar

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

Key facts for mild
PropertyValue
Headwordmild
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ˈmaɪld/
Letters4
Frequency rank#5,982
Misspellings tracked6
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “mild” 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). mild 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 mild is 4 letters long, classified as an adjective, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈmaɪld/. Corpus data places it at rank #5,982 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 7 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 6 likely wrong-spelling variants for mild, with forms such as "imld", "midl", and "mildd". 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 20 confusable-pair relationships, "ML", "mix", "min", and more, since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English milde, from Old English milde (“mild”), from Proto-Germanic *mildijaz (“mild”), from Proto-Indo-European *melh₂- (“to beat, pound, grind”). Cognate with Scots mild, myld (“mild”), Saterland Frisian milde (“mild”), West Frisian myld (“mil… The correct English form is mild, spelled M-I-L-D.

Definition

  1. 1
    Gentle and not easily angered.
  2. 2
    Of only moderate severity; not strict.
  3. 3
    Not overly felt or seriously intended.
  4. 4
    Not serious or dangerous.
  5. 5
    Moderately warm, especially less cold than expected.
  6. 6
    Acting gently and without causing harm.
  7. 7
    Not sharp or bitter; not strong in flavor.

Etymology

From Middle English milde, from Old English milde (“mild”), from Proto-Germanic *mildijaz (“mild”), from Proto-Indo-European *melh₂- (“to beat, pound, grind”). Cognate with Scots mild, myld (“mild”), Saterland Frisian milde (“mild”), West Frisian myld (“mild”), Dutch mild (“mild”), Low German milde (“mild”), German mild (“mild”), Danish, Swedish and Norwegian Bokmål mild (“mild”), Icelandic mildur (“mild”), Latin mollis (“soft, gentle”), Lithuanian malonus (“pleasing, pleasant, kind”), Old Norse mildr.

Synonyms

softgentleblandcalmtranquilsoothingpleasantplacidmeekkindtenderindulgentclementmollifyinglenitiveassuasive

Antonyms

strongharshsevereirritatingviolentdisagreeable

This word in other languages

suave(Español)doux(Français)mild(Deutsch)suave(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: imld,midl,mildd,milld,mlid,mmild

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

imld2midl2mildd1milld1mlid2mmild1
Edit distance from "mild"

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 "mild"?
"mild" is spelled M-I-L-D. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈmaɪld/.
What does "mild" mean?
As an adjective, "mild" means: Gentle and not easily angered.
What words are commonly confused with "mild"?
"mild" is commonly confused with "ML", "mix", "min". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "mild"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "mild" is /ˈmaɪld/. 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 "mild"?
From Middle English milde, from Old English milde (“mild”), from Proto-Germanic *mildijaz (“mild”), from Proto-Indo-European *melh₂- (“to beat, pound, grind”). Cognate with Scots mild, myld (“mild”), Saterland Frisian milde (“mild”), West Frisian ... 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 “mild”

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

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