Potomac

/pəˈtoʊmək/

//pəˈtoʊmək// name

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

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

The verdict

“Potomac” has 10 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #19,419. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#19,419
frequency rank, English
46,516
“P” headwords
10
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A river that flows along the borders of Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia, and through Washington, United States.

Key facts for Potomac
PropertyValue
HeadwordPotomac
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechProper noun
IPA/pəˈtoʊmək/
Letters7
Frequency rank#19,419
Misspellings tracked10
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “Potomac” 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). Potomac lands here:

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

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

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 10 spelling variants around Potomac (IPA /pəˈtoʊmək/), aproper noun. Corpus frequency is #19,419 among 46,516 “P” headwords. Wiktionary lists 4 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 10 likely wrong-spelling variants for Potomac, with forms such as "optomac", "pootmac", and "potmoac". 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. No close-neighbour confusable shows up for this headword in our dataset, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.

Etymologically, the entry records: European spelling of an Algonquian name, variously claimed to mean "river of swans", "place where people trade" or "place to which tribute is brought". The natives called the river above the falls Cohongorooton, "river of geese", and that area was renowned … The correct English form is Potomac, spelled P-O-T-O-M-A-C.

Definition

  1. 1
    A river that flows along the borders of Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia, and through Washington, United States.
  2. 2
    An unincorporated community and census-designated place in Montgomery County, Maryland, United States.
  3. 3
    A village in Vermilion County, Illinois, United States.
  4. 4
    The asteroid (1345) Potomac.

Etymology

European spelling of an Algonquian name, variously claimed to mean "river of swans", "place where people trade" or "place to which tribute is brought". The natives called the river above the falls Cohongorooton, "river of geese", and that area was renowned in early years for an abundance of both geese and swans. The spelling of the name has been simplified over the years from Patawomeke to Patowmack in the 18th century and now Potomac. The river's name was determined officially as Potomac by the US government's Board on Geographic Names during 1931.

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • optomac
  • pootmac
  • potmoac
  • potoamc
  • potomacc
  • potomca
  • potommac
  • pottomac
  • ppotomac
  • ptoomac

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

optomac2pootmac2potmoac2potoamc2potomacc1potomca2potommac1pottomac1
Edit distance from "Potomac"

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 "Potomac"?
"Potomac" is spelled P-O-T-O-M-A-C. The IPA pronunciation is /pəˈtoʊmək/.
What does "Potomac" mean?
As a proper noun, "Potomac" means: A river that flows along the borders of Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia, and through Washington, United States.
What are common misspellings of "Potomac"?
Common misspellings include "optomac", "pootmac", "potmoac", "potoamc", "potomacc". The correct spelling is "Potomac".
How do you pronounce "Potomac"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "Potomac" is /pəˈtoʊmək/. 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 "Potomac"?
European spelling of an Algonquian name, variously claimed to mean "river of swans", "place where people trade" or "place to which tribute is brought". The natives called the river above the falls Cohongorooton, "river of geese", and that area was... 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 “Potomac”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is P-O-T-O-M-A-C - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /pəˈtoʊmək/ (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

Same frequency band

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