Moscow

/ˈmɒskəʊ/

//ˈmɒskəʊ// name

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

"moscow" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“Moscow” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #3,511 in English word frequency and used as a proper noun.

#3,511
frequency rank, English
6
letters
9
tracked misspellings
2
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A federal city, the capital and largest city of Russia.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

Moscow vs mascot
50% similar
Moscow vs morrow
50% similar

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

Key facts for Moscow
PropertyValue
HeadwordMoscow
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechProper noun
IPA/ˈmɒskəʊ/
Letters6
Frequency rank#3,511
Misspellings tracked9
Confusable pairs2
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “Moscow” 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). Moscow 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 Moscow is 6 letters long, classified as a proper noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈmɒskəʊ/. Corpus data places it at rank #3,511 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 27 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 9 likely wrong-spelling variants for Moscow, with forms such as "mmoscow", "mocsow", and "mosccow". 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 2 confusable-pair relationships, "mascot", "morrow", a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: Ultimately from Old East Slavic Москов- (Moskov-), originally referring to the Moskva River, probably from Proto-Slavic *mosky (“swamp, dampness, moisture”). Perhaps related to Czech moskva (“raw bread”), Slovak mozga (“puddle”), Polish Mozgawa, and more di… The correct English form is Moscow, spelled M-O-S-C-O-W.

Definition

  1. 1
    A federal city, the capital and largest city of Russia.
  2. 2
    An oblast of Russia surrounding the city, which itself is not part of the oblast; in full, Moscow Oblast.
  3. 3
    The government of Russia or the Soviet Union.
  4. 4
    A large number of places in the United States:
  5. 5
    A large number of places in the United States:
  6. 6
    A large number of places in the United States:
  7. 7
    A large number of places in the United States:
  8. 8
    A large number of places in the United States:
  9. 9
    A large number of places in the United States:
  10. 10
    A large number of places in the United States:
  11. 11
    A large number of places in the United States:
  12. 12
    A large number of places in the United States:
  13. 13
    A large number of places in the United States:
  14. 14
    A large number of places in the United States:
  15. 15
    A large number of places in the United States:
  16. 16
    A large number of places in the United States:
  17. 17
    A large number of places in the United States:
  18. 18
    A large number of places in the United States:
  19. 19
    A large number of places in the United States:
  20. 20
    A large number of places in the United States:
  21. 21
    A large number of places in the United States:
  22. 22
    A large number of places in the United States:
  23. 23
    A large number of places in the United States:
  24. 24
    A large number of places in the United States:
  25. 25
    A hamlet in East Ayrshire council area, Scotland; probably named or re-named in 1812 for Napoleon's retreat from Moscow (OS grid ref NS4840).
  26. 26
    A village in Kottayam district, Kerala, India; named due to Soviet influence in Kerala during the Cold War.
  27. 27
    A nickname for the Brandon Estate, a social housing estate in Southwark, Central London; named because of gun violence and the use of Russian-made contraband firearms.

Etymology

Ultimately from Old East Slavic Москов- (Moskov-), originally referring to the Moskva River, probably from Proto-Slavic *mosky (“swamp, dampness, moisture”). Perhaps related to Czech moskva (“raw bread”), Slovak mozga (“puddle”), Polish Mozgawa, and more distantly Latvian mazgāt (“to wash, rinse”), Sanskrit मज्जति (májjati, “to sink”), Latin mergō (“to dive”), all from Proto-Indo-European *mesg- (“to plunge, dip”). Cognate with Russian промозглый (promozglyj, “dank”). Doublet of Moskva.

This word in other languages

Moscú(Español)Moscou(Français)Moskau(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: mmoscow,mocsow,mosccow,moscoww,moscwo,mosocw,mosscow,msocow,omscow

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of Moscow - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

mmoscow1mocsow2mosccow1moscoww1moscwo2mosocw2mosscow1msocow2
Edit distance from "Moscow"

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 "Moscow"?
"Moscow" is spelled M-O-S-C-O-W. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈmɒskəʊ/.
What does "Moscow" mean?
As a proper noun, "Moscow" means: A federal city, the capital and largest city of Russia.
What words are commonly confused with "Moscow"?
"Moscow" is commonly confused with "mascot", "morrow". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "Moscow"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "Moscow" is /ˈmɒskəʊ/. 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 "Moscow"?
Ultimately from Old East Slavic Москов- (Moskov-), originally referring to the Moskva River, probably from Proto-Slavic *mosky (“swamp, dampness, moisture”). Perhaps related to Czech moskva (“raw bread”), Slovak mozga (“puddle”), Polish Mozgawa, a... 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 “Moscow”

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

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