opus

/ˈəʊpəs/

//ˈəʊpəs// noun

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

The verdict

“opus” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #23,619 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#23,619
frequency rank, English
4
letters
5
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A work of music or set of works with a specified rank in an ordering of a composer's complete published works.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

opus vs OS
0% similar
opus vs ou
50% similar
opus vs out
50% similar

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

Key facts for opus
PropertyValue
Headwordopus
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈəʊpəs/
Letters4
Frequency rank#23,619
Misspellings tracked5
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “opus” 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). opus 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 opus is 4 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈəʊpəs/. Corpus data places it at rank #23,619 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 2 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 5 likely wrong-spelling variants for opus, with forms such as "oppus", "opsu", and "opuss". 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 20 confusable-pair relationships, "OS", "ou", "out", and more, since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowed from Latin opus. The correct English form is opus, spelled O-P-U-S.

Definition

  1. 1
    A work of music or set of works with a specified rank in an ordering of a composer's complete published works.
  2. 2
    A work, especially of art.

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin opus.

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: oppus,opsu,opuss,oups,pous

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

oppus1opsu2opuss1oups2pous2
Edit distance from "opus"

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 "opus"?
"opus" is spelled O-P-U-S. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈəʊpəs/.
What does "opus" mean?
As a noun, "opus" means: A work of music or set of works with a specified rank in an ordering of a composer's complete published works.
What words are commonly confused with "opus"?
"opus" is commonly confused with "OS", "ou", "out". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "opus"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "opus" is /ˈəʊpəs/. 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 "opus"?
Borrowed from Latin opus. 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 “opus”

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

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