mofo

/ˈməʊfəʊ/

//ˈməʊfəʊ// noun

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

The verdict

“mofo” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #46,074 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#46,074
frequency rank, English
4
letters
5
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Abbreviation of motherfucker.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

mofo vs mom
50% similar
mofo vs mon
50% similar
mofo vs MoS
25% similar

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

Key facts for mofo
PropertyValue
Headwordmofo
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈməʊfəʊ/
Letters4
Frequency rank#46,074
Misspellings tracked5
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “mofo” 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). mofo 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 mofo is 4 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈməʊfəʊ/. Corpus data places it at rank #46,074 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. The dominant gloss from Wiktionary reads: "Abbreviation of motherfucker.".

Our generated misspelling index lists 5 likely wrong-spelling variants for mofo, with forms such as "mfoo", "mmofo", and "moffo". 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, "mom", "mon", "MoS", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: Abbreviation of motherfucker or motherfucking. The correct English form is mofo, spelled M-O-F-O.

Definition

  1. 1
    Abbreviation of motherfucker.

Etymology

Abbreviation of motherfucker or motherfucking.

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: mfoo,mmofo,moffo,moof,omfo

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

mfoo2mmofo1moffo1moof2omfo2
Edit distance from "mofo"

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 "mofo"?
"mofo" is spelled M-O-F-O. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈməʊfəʊ/.
What does "mofo" mean?
As a noun, "mofo" means: Abbreviation of motherfucker.
What words are commonly confused with "mofo"?
"mofo" is commonly confused with "mom", "mon", "MoS". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "mofo"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "mofo" is /ˈməʊfəʊ/. 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 "mofo"?
Abbreviation of motherfucker or motherfucking. 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 “mofo”

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

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