raccoon

/ɹəˈkuːn/

//ɹəˈkuːn// noun

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

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

The verdict

“raccoon” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #20,470 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#20,470
frequency rank, English
7
letters
8
tracked misspellings
1
confusable pair

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - An omnivorous, nocturnal mammal native to the Americas, of the genus Procyon, typically with a mixture of gray, brown, and black fur, a mask-like marking around the eyes and a striped tail.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

raccoon vs Rangoon
57% similar

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

Key facts for raccoon
PropertyValue
Headwordraccoon
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ɹəˈkuːn/
Letters7
Frequency rank#20,470
Misspellings tracked8
Confusable pairs1
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “raccoon” 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). raccoon 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 raccoon is 7 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ɹəˈkuːn/. Corpus data places it at rank #20,470 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 8 likely wrong-spelling variants for raccoon, with forms such as "arccoon", "raccon", and "raccono". 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, "Rangoon", a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: From arocoun (1608), from Powhatan ärähkun, from ärähkuněm (“he scratches with his hands”). The correct English form is raccoon, spelled R-A-C-C-O-O-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    An omnivorous, nocturnal mammal native to the Americas, of the genus Procyon, typically with a mixture of gray, brown, and black fur, a mask-like marking around the eyes and a striped tail.
  2. 2
    The common raccoon (Procyon lotor).
  3. 3
    Any mammal of the subfamily Procyoninae, a procyonine.
  4. 4
    Any mammal of the family Procyonidae, a procyonid.
  5. 5
    Any mammal superficially resembling a raccoon, such as a raccoon dog.

Etymology

From arocoun (1608), from Powhatan ärähkun, from ärähkuněm (“he scratches with his hands”).

Synonyms

cooncommon raccoonNorth American raccoonnorthern raccoontrash panda

This word in other languages

mapache(Español)raton laveur(Français)Waschbär(Deutsch)guaxinim(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: arccoon,raccon,raccono,raccoonn,racocon,racoon,rcacoon,rraccoon

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

arccoon2raccon1raccono2raccoonn1racocon2racoon1rcacoon2rraccoon1
Edit distance from "raccoon"

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 "raccoon"?
"raccoon" is spelled R-A-C-C-O-O-N. The IPA pronunciation is /ɹəˈkuːn/.
What does "raccoon" mean?
As a noun, "raccoon" means: An omnivorous, nocturnal mammal native to the Americas, of the genus Procyon, typically with a mixture of gray, brown, and black fur, a mask-like marking around the eyes and a striped tail.
What words are commonly confused with "raccoon"?
"raccoon" is commonly confused with "Rangoon". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "raccoon"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "raccoon" is /ɹəˈkuːn/. 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 "raccoon"?
From arocoun (1608), from Powhatan ärähkun, from ärähkuněm (“he scratches with his hands”). 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 “raccoon”

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

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