nutmeg

/ˈnʌt.mɛɡ/

//ˈnʌt.mɛɡ// noun

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

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

The verdict

“nutmeg” has 9 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #27,585. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#27,585
frequency rank, English
1,534
“N” headwords
9
tracked misspellings
1
confusable pair

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - An evergreen tree (Myristica fragrans) cultivated in the East Indies for its spicy seeds.

Corpus desk

Index EN-nutmeg · nutmeg · English

nutmeg · rank #27,585 · 9 variants · 1 confusable

  • FREQ-MID #27,585
  • LEN-LONG 6 letters
  • VOW-2 2 vowels
  • CONFUS-LOW 1 pairs
  • VAR-MID 9 variants
  • BOOK-MID 1,534
  • PHOTO-FINISH obstetrics

Nearest frequency peer: obstetrics (+1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “nutmeg”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “nutmeg” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

nutmeg vs nutter
67% similar

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

Key facts for nutmeg
PropertyValue
Headwordnutmeg
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈnʌt.mɛɡ/
Letters6
Frequency rank#27,585
Misspellings tracked9
Confusable pairs1
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “nutmeg”

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right).nutmeglands here:

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

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Same rarity band neighbours include “obstetrics” (#27,586), “neurologist” (#27,582), “obtuse” (#27,588). Among 1,534 “N” headwords, “nutmeg” is #27,585. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 9 spelling variants around nutmeg (IPA /ˈnʌt.mɛɡ/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #27,585 among 1,534 “N” headwords. Wiktionary lists 6 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 9 likely wrong-spelling variants for nutmeg, with forms such as "nnutmeg", "ntumeg", and "numteg". 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 1 confusable-pair relationship, "nutter", a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English notemege, notemuge, a partial translation of Medieval Latin nux muga, a variant of Medieval Latin nux muscata (“musky nut”). Compare also Old French nois mugede. For the term used in various ball sports, see Wikipedia. The correct English form is nutmeg, spelled N-U-T-M-E-G.

Definition

  1. 1
    An evergreen tree (Myristica fragrans) cultivated in the East Indies for its spicy seeds.
  2. 2
    The aromatic seed of this tree, used as a spice.
  3. 3
    The aromatic seed of this tree, used as a spice.
  4. 4
    A small moth, Hadula trifolii, feeding on plants and native to the Northern Hemisphere.
  5. 5
    A grey-brown colour.
  6. 6
    The playing of the ball between the legs of an opponent.

Recorded use

Wiktionary example

These source excerpts show how nutmeg appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. The same applied to Loftus-Cheek, who grew into the game after a quiet start and even had the impudence to slip the ball through Marcel Halstenberg’s legs in the first half. Nutmegs aside, Loftus-Cheek also came up with one of England’s best passes of the night, sending Jamie Vardy through the middle at the end of the first half.

Etymology

From Middle English notemege, notemuge, a partial translation of Medieval Latin nux muga, a variant of Medieval Latin nux muscata (“musky nut”). Compare also Old French nois mugede. For the term used in various ball sports, see Wikipedia.

This word in other languages

caño(Español)muscadier(Français)Muskat(Deutsch)túnel(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • nnutmeg
  • ntumeg
  • numteg
  • nutemg
  • nutmegg
  • nutmge
  • nutmmeg
  • nuttmeg
  • untmeg

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

nnutmeg1ntumeg2numteg2nutemg2nutmegg1nutmge2nutmmeg1nuttmeg1
Edit distance from "nutmeg"

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 "nutmeg"?
"nutmeg" is spelled N-U-T-M-E-G. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈnʌt.mɛɡ/.
What does "nutmeg" mean?
As a noun, "nutmeg" means: An evergreen tree (Myristica fragrans) cultivated in the East Indies for its spicy seeds.
What words are commonly confused with "nutmeg"?
"nutmeg" is commonly confused with "nutter". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "nutmeg"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "nutmeg" is /ˈnʌt.mɛɡ/. 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 "nutmeg"?
From Middle English notemege, notemuge, a partial translation of Medieval Latin nux muga, a variant of Medieval Latin nux muscata (“musky nut”). Compare also Old French nois mugede. For the term used in various ball sports, see Wikipedia. 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.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "nutmeg", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 6 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

obtuse#27,588Mulder#27,573Mugabe#27,572ported#27,602

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (9 here; floor ≥5).

Mullins9 variantsmuffled9 variantsPurcell9 variantsMarietta9 variants

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list