pandan

/ˈpændən/

//ˈpændən// noun

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

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

The verdict

“pandan” is uncommon English (frequency #94,097 among 46,516 “P” headwords), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#94,097
frequency rank, English
46,516
“P” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A screw pine, screw palms (Pandanus spp.).

Key facts for pandan
PropertyValue
Headwordpandan
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈpændən/
Letters6
Frequency rank#94,097
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “pandan” 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). pandan lands here:

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

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

Rare enough to double-check

pandan is uncommon English at frequency #94,097 among 46,516 “P” headwords, classed as anoun, transcribed /ˈpændən/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 2 senses are on record.

The misspelling generator found no plausible variants for pandan, suggesting the orthography follows predictable English patterns. No close-neighbour confusable shows up for this headword in our dataset, since no other headword is close enough in sound or shape to pair with it.

Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowed from Malay pandan, ultimately from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *paŋdan. Doublet of hala via Hawaiian. The correct English form is pandan, spelled P-A-N-D-A-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    A screw pine, screw palms (Pandanus spp.).
  2. 2
    A traditional Malay food flavouring derived from the leaves of Pandanus amaryllifolius.

Etymology

Borrowed from Malay pandan, ultimately from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *paŋdan. Doublet of hala via Hawaiian.

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 "pandan"?
"pandan" is spelled P-A-N-D-A-N. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈpændən/.
What does "pandan" mean?
As a noun, "pandan" means: A screw pine, screw palms (Pandanus spp.).
How do you pronounce "pandan"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "pandan" is /ˈpændən/. 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 "pandan"?
Borrowed from Malay pandan, ultimately from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *paŋdan. Doublet of hala via Hawaiian. 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 “pandan”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is P-A-N-D-A-N - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈpændən/ (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

Other uncommon English words near this rank

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