quean
/kwiːn/
"quean" is a 5-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“quean” is outside the top-ranked English vocabulary, used as a noun - the kind of word writers most often double-check.
- Unranked
- below top-frequency English
- 5
- letters
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A woman, now especially an impudent or disreputable woman; a prostitute.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | quean |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Noun |
| IPA | /kwiːn/ |
| Letters | 5 |
| Misspellings tracked | 0 |
| Confusable pairs | 0 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Where “quean” sits in English frequency
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
The English entry for quean is 5 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /kwiːn/. It sits outside the most-frequent rank tiers, which is often why uncommon words generate more spelling variants per reader. Wiktionary records 2 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.
We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for quean, suggesting the orthography follows predictable English patterns. This headword has no recorded confusable partner, suggesting its spelling stands apart enough that readers rarely confuse it with something else.
Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English quene (“young, robust woman”), from Old English cwene (“woman, female serf”), from Proto-West Germanic *kwenā, from Proto-Germanic *kwenǭ (“woman”), from Proto-Indo-European *gʷḗn (“woman”). Doublet of gyne and queen. Cognate with Dutch … The correct English form is quean, spelled Q-U-E-A-N.
Definition
- 1A woman, now especially an impudent or disreputable woman; a prostitute.
- 2A young woman, a girl; a daughter.
Etymology
From Middle English quene (“young, robust woman”), from Old English cwene (“woman, female serf”), from Proto-West Germanic *kwenā, from Proto-Germanic *kwenǭ (“woman”), from Proto-Indo-European *gʷḗn (“woman”). Doublet of gyne and queen. Cognate with Dutch kween (“a barren woman, a barren cow”), Low German quene (“barren cow, heifer”), German Kone (“wife”), Swedish kvinna (“woman”), Icelandic kona (“woman”), Gothic 𐌵𐌹𐌽𐍉 (qinō, “woman”), 𐌵𐌴𐌽𐍃 (qēns, “wife”).
Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you spell "quean"?
What does "quean" mean?
How do you pronounce "quean"?
What is the origin of the word "quean"?
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Using “quean”
The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.
- The one correct English spelling is Q-U-E-A-N - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
- Say it as /kwiːn/ (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
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.