mongrel

/ˈmʌŋ.ɡɹəl/

//ˈmʌŋ.ɡɹəl// noun

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

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

The verdict

“mongrel” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #44,349 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#44,349
frequency rank, English
7
letters
11
tracked misspellings
4
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Someone or something of mixed kind or uncertain origin, especially a dog.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

mongrel vs morel
71% similar
mongrel vs Montreal
63% similar
mongrel vs Mongol
57% similar

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

Key facts for mongrel
PropertyValue
Headwordmongrel
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈmʌŋ.ɡɹəl/
Letters7
Frequency rank#44,349
Misspellings tracked11
Confusable pairs4
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “mongrel” 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). mongrel 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 mongrel is 7 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈmʌŋ.ɡɹəl/. Corpus data places it at rank #44,349 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 4 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 11 likely wrong-spelling variants for mongrel, with forms such as "mmongrel", "mnogrel", and "mognrel". 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 4 confusable-pair relationships, "morel", "Montreal", "Mongol", 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 mongrel, equivalent to mong (“mixture”) + -rel (pejorative diminutive); from Old English ġemang (“mingling”) (whence Modern English among), from Proto-Germanic *mang- (“mix”). The correct English form is mongrel, spelled M-O-N-G-R-E-L.

Definition

  1. 1
    Someone or something of mixed kind or uncertain origin, especially a dog.
  2. 2
    Someone or something of mixed kind or uncertain origin, especially a dog.
  3. 3
    A thuggish, obnoxious, or contemptible person; (often preceded by "poor") a pitiable person.
  4. 4
    An erect penis; an erection.

Etymology

From Middle English mongrel, equivalent to mong (“mixture”) + -rel (pejorative diminutive); from Old English ġemang (“mingling”) (whence Modern English among), from Proto-Germanic *mang- (“mix”).

This word in other languages

chucho(Español)bâtard(Français)Mischling(Deutsch)rafeiro(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: mmongrel,mnogrel,mognrel,mongerl,monggrel,mongrell,mongrle,mongrrel,monngrel,monrgel,omngrel

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

mmongrel1mnogrel2mognrel2mongerl2monggrel1mongrell1mongrle2mongrrel1
Edit distance from "mongrel"

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 "mongrel"?
"mongrel" is spelled M-O-N-G-R-E-L. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈmʌŋ.ɡɹəl/.
What does "mongrel" mean?
As a noun, "mongrel" means: Someone or something of mixed kind or uncertain origin, especially a dog.
What words are commonly confused with "mongrel"?
"mongrel" is commonly confused with "morel", "Montreal", "Mongol". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "mongrel"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "mongrel" is /ˈmʌŋ.ɡɹəl/. 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 "mongrel"?
From Middle English mongrel, equivalent to mong (“mixture”) + -rel (pejorative diminutive); from Old English ġemang (“mingling”) (whence Modern English among), from Proto-Germanic *mang- (“mix”). 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 “mongrel”

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

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