panther

/ˈpænθɚ/

//ˈpænθɚ// noun

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

"panther" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“panther” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #12,119 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#12,119
frequency rank, English
7
letters
11
tracked misspellings
10
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Any of various big cats with black fur; most especially, the black-coated leopard of Africa and Asia.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

panther vs punter
71% similar
panther vs panzer
71% similar
panther vs patter
71% similar

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

Key facts for panther
PropertyValue
Headwordpanther
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈpænθɚ/
Letters7
Frequency rank#12,119
Misspellings tracked11
Confusable pairs10
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “panther” 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). panther 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 panther is 7 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈpænθɚ/. Corpus data places it at rank #12,119 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 5 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 11 likely wrong-spelling variants for panther, with forms such as "apnther", "panhter", and "pannther". 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 10 confusable-pair relationships, "punter", "panzer", "patter", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English panter, panther, pantere, from Old French pantere, from Latin panthēra, from Ancient Greek πάνθηρ (pánthēr, “panther”). The correct English form is panther, spelled P-A-N-T-H-E-R.

Definition

  1. 1
    Any of various big cats with black fur; most especially, the black-coated leopard of Africa and Asia.
  2. 2
    Any big cat of the genus Panthera.
  3. 3
    A cougar; especially the Florida panther.
  4. 4
    A girl, especially a young one, who pursues older men.
  5. 5
    A creature resembling a big cat, typically incensed (“emitting fire”), and often having a multicolored hide, found in Ancient Greek mythology and in medieval and later heraldry (in which its depiction sometimes approaches that of a horse).

Etymology

From Middle English panter, panther, pantere, from Old French pantere, from Latin panthēra, from Ancient Greek πάνθηρ (pánthēr, “panther”).

This word in other languages

pantera negra(Español)panthère noire(Français)Panther(Deutsch)pantera(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: apnther,panhter,pannther,pantehr,pantherr,panthher,panthre,pantther,patnher,pnather,ppanther

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

apnther2panhter2pannther1pantehr2pantherr1panthher1panthre2pantther1
Edit distance from "panther"

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 "panther"?
"panther" is spelled P-A-N-T-H-E-R. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈpænθɚ/.
What does "panther" mean?
As a noun, "panther" means: Any of various big cats with black fur; most especially, the black-coated leopard of Africa and Asia.
What words are commonly confused with "panther"?
"panther" is commonly confused with "punter", "panzer", "patter". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "panther"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "panther" is /ˈpænθɚ/. 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 "panther"?
From Middle English panter, panther, pantere, from Old French pantere, from Latin panthēra, from Ancient Greek πάνθηρ (pánthēr, “panther”). 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 “panther”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is P-A-N-T-H-E-R - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈpænθɚ/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “punter” - see the side-by-side comparison. panther vs punter
  • 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