mushroom

/ˈmʌʃˌɹuːm/

//ˈmʌʃˌɹuːm// noun

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

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

The verdict

“mushroom” has 12 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #12,464. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#12,464
frequency rank, English
36,575
“M” headwords
12
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Any of the fleshy fruiting bodies of fungi typically produced above ground on soil or on their food sources (such as decaying wood).

Key facts for mushroom
PropertyValue
Headwordmushroom
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈmʌʃˌɹuːm/
Letters8
Frequency rank#12,464
Misspellings tracked12
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “mushroom” 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). mushroom lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 12 spelling variants around mushroom (IPA /ˈmʌʃˌɹuːm/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #12,464 among 36,575 “M” headwords. Wiktionary lists 8 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 12 likely wrong-spelling variants for mushroom, with forms such as "mmushroom", "msuhroom", and "muhsroom". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. No confusable counterpart is on file for this word, a sign it's visually distinctive enough not to be mixed up with another word.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English muscheron, musseron, from Anglo-Norman musherum, moscheron, from Old French moisseron, of obscure origin: probably derived from Old French mosse, moise ("moss"; whence also French mousse), as the use first applied to a type of fungus whi… The correct English form is mushroom, spelled M-U-S-H-R-O-O-M.

Definition

  1. 1
    Any of the fleshy fruiting bodies of fungi typically produced above ground on soil or on their food sources (such as decaying wood).
  2. 2
    A fungus producing such fruiting bodies.
  3. 3
    Champignon or Agaricus bisporus, the mushroom species most commonly used in cooking.
  4. 4
    Any of the mushroom-shaped pegs in bar billiards.
  5. 5
    A concrete column with a thickened portion at the top, used to support a slab.
  6. 6
    One who rises suddenly from a low condition in life; an upstart.
  7. 7
    Something that grows very quickly or seems to appear suddenly.
  8. 8
    Ellipsis of mushroom cloud.

Etymology

From Middle English muscheron, musseron, from Anglo-Norman musherum, moscheron, from Old French moisseron, of obscure origin: probably derived from Old French mosse, moise ("moss"; whence also French mousse), as the use first applied to a type of fungus which grows in moss, from Frankish *mosu (“moss”) or Old Dutch *mosa (“moss”), akin to Old High German mosa (“moor, swamp”), Old High German mos (“moss, bog”), Old High German mios (“moss, mire”), Old English mēos (“moss”), Old English mōs (“bog, marsh”), Old Norse mosi (“moss”), Old Norse myrr (“bog, mire”), from Proto-Germanic *musą, *musô, *miuziz (“mosses, bog”), from Proto-Indo-European *mews- (“mosses, mold, mildew”). Displaced native Old English swamm. More at mire. Alternatively, the Old French may be of pre-Roman origin. See Ancient Greek μύκης (múkēs, “mushroom”). Doublet of moss and mousse.

This word in other languages

hongo(Español)champignon(Français)Pilz(Deutsch)cogumelo(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • mmushroom
  • msuhroom
  • muhsroom
  • mushhroom
  • mushorom
  • mushrom
  • mushromo
  • mushroomm
  • mushrroom
  • musrhoom
  • musshroom
  • umshroom

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

mmushroom1msuhroom2muhsroom2mushhroom1mushorom2mushrom1mushromo2mushroomm1
Edit distance from "mushroom"

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 "mushroom"?
"mushroom" is spelled M-U-S-H-R-O-O-M. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈmʌʃˌɹuːm/.
What does "mushroom" mean?
As a noun, "mushroom" means: Any of the fleshy fruiting bodies of fungi typically produced above ground on soil or on their food sources (such as decaying wood).
What are common misspellings of "mushroom"?
Common misspellings include "mmushroom", "msuhroom", "muhsroom", "mushhroom", "mushorom". The correct spelling is "mushroom".
How do you pronounce "mushroom"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "mushroom" is /ˈmʌʃˌɹuːm/. 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 "mushroom"?
From Middle English muscheron, musseron, from Anglo-Norman musherum, moscheron, from Old French moisseron, of obscure origin: probably derived from Old French mosse, moise ("moss"; whence also French mousse), as the use first applied to a type of ... 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 “mushroom”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is M-U-S-H-R-O-O-M - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈmʌʃˌɹuːm/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words

Same frequency band

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