platypus

/ˈplætɪpəs/

//ˈplætɪpəs// noun

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

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

The verdict

“platypus” has 13 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #42,340. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#42,340
frequency rank, English
4,417
“P” headwords
13
tracked misspellings
1
confusable pair

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - A semiaquatic monotreme from eastern Australia with a bill resembling that of a duck, that has a mole-like body, a tail resembling that of a beaver, a waterproof pelt, and flat webbed feet (Ornitho...

Corpus desk

Index EN-platypus · platypus · English

platypus · rank #42,340 · 13 variants · 1 confusable

  • FREQ-MID #42,340
  • LEN-LONG 8 letters
  • VOW-3 3 vowels
  • CONFUS-LOW 1 pairs
  • VAR-HIGH 13 variants
  • BOOK-MID 4,417
  • PHOTO-FINISH Phoenician

Nearest frequency peer: Phoenician (-3 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 “platypus”

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

corpus weight

What this shows “platypus” 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).

platypus vs plateaus
75% similar

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

Key facts for platypus
PropertyValue
Headwordplatypus
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈplætɪpəs/
Letters8
Frequency rank#42,340
Misspellings tracked13
Confusable pairs1
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “platypus”

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

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

Ticks step logarithmically, so each one marks a roughly tenfold drop in how often the word turns up. Same rarity band neighbours include “Phoenician” (#42,337), “Polanski” (#42,343), “pollutant” (#42,344). Among 4,417 “P” headwords, “platypus” is #42,340. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 13 spelling variants around platypus (IPA /ˈplætɪpəs/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #42,340 among 4,417 “P” headwords. Dominant gloss: "A semiaquatic monotreme from eastern Australia with a bill resembling that of a duck, that has a mole-like body, a tail resembling that of a beaver, a waterproof pelt, and flat webbed feet (Ornitho...".

Our generated misspelling index lists 13 likely wrong-spelling variants for platypus, with forms such as "lpatypus", "paltypus", and "platpyus". 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, "plateaus", where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: From New Latin Platypus (originally a genus name already in use for a type of beetle), from Ancient Greek πλατύπους (platúpous, “flat-footed”), from πλατύς (platús, “flat”) + πούς (poús, “foot”). Piecewise doublet of flatfoot. The correct English form is platypus, spelled P-L-A-T-Y-P-U-S.

Definition

  1. 1
    A semiaquatic monotreme from eastern Australia with a bill resembling that of a duck, that has a mole-like body, a tail resembling that of a beaver, a waterproof pelt, and flat webbed feet (Ornithorhynchus anatinus).

Recorded use

Wiktionary example

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

  1. Victoria's Healesville Sanctuary is celebrating the births of two baby platypuses, in a major milestone.

Etymology

From New Latin Platypus (originally a genus name already in use for a type of beetle), from Ancient Greek πλατύπους (platúpous, “flat-footed”), from πλατύς (platús, “flat”) + πούς (poús, “foot”). Piecewise doublet of flatfoot.

This word in other languages

ornitorrinco(Español)ornithorynque(Français)Schnabeltier(Deutsch)ornitorrinco(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • lpatypus
  • paltypus
  • platpyus
  • plattypus
  • platyppus
  • platypsu
  • platypuss
  • platyups
  • platyypus
  • playtpus
  • pllatypus
  • pltaypus
  • pplatypus

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

lpatypus2paltypus2platpyus2plattypus1platyppus1platypsu2platypuss1platyups2
Edit distance from "platypus"

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 "platypus"?
"platypus" is spelled P-L-A-T-Y-P-U-S. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈplætɪpəs/.
What does "platypus" mean?
As a noun, "platypus" means: A semiaquatic monotreme from eastern Australia with a bill resembling that of a duck, that has a mole-like body, a tail resembling that of a beaver, a waterproof pelt, and flat webbed feet (Ornitho...
What words are commonly confused with "platypus"?
"platypus" is commonly confused with "plateaus". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "platypus"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "platypus" is /ˈplætɪpəs/. 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 "platypus"?
From New Latin Platypus (originally a genus name already in use for a type of beetle), from Ancient Greek πλατύπους (platúpous, “flat-footed”), from πλατύς (platús, “flat”) + πούς (poús, “foot”). Piecewise doublet of flatfoot. 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 "platypus", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 8 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

Polanski#42,343opulence#42,309oligarch#42,305munchkin#42,288

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (13 here; floor ≥5).

midseason13 variantsspinster13 variantsstraying13 variantslifeblood13 variants

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list