rag

/ˈɹæɡ/

//ˈɹæɡ// noun

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

"rag" is a 3-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“rag” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #13,996 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#13,996
frequency rank, English
3
letters
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Tattered clothes (clothing).

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

rag vs re
33% similar
rag vs RS
0% similar
rag vs rd
33% similar

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

Key facts for rag
PropertyValue
Headwordrag
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈɹæɡ/
Letters3
Frequency rank#13,996
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “rag” 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). rag 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 rag is 3 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈɹæɡ/. Corpus data places it at rank #13,996 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 12 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

The misspelling generator found no plausible variants for rag, which points to an orthography that plays by predictable English rules. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "re", "RS", "rd", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English ragge, from Old English ragg (suggested by derivative raggiġ (“shaggy; bristly; ragged”)), from Old Norse rǫgg (“tuft; shagginess”), from Proto-Germanic *rawwa-, probably related to *rūhaz. Cognate with Swedish ragg. Related to rug. The correct English form is rag, spelled R-A-G.

Definition

  1. 1
    Tattered clothes (clothing).
  2. 2
    A piece of old cloth, especially one used for cleaning, patching, etc.; a tattered piece of cloth; a shred or tatter.
  3. 3
    A shabby, beggarly person; synonym of ragamuffin.
  4. 4
    A ragged edge in metalworking.
  5. 5
    A sail, or any piece of canvas.
  6. 6
    Sanitary napkins, pads, or other materials used to absorb menstrual discharge.
  7. 7
    A newspaper or magazine, especially one whose journalism is considered to be of poor quality.
  8. 8
    A poor, low-ranking kicker.
  9. 9
    A curtain of various kinds.
  10. 10
    A person suffering from exhaustion or lack of energy.
  11. 11
    A banknote.
  12. 12
    An uneven vertical margin (of a block of type).

Etymology

From Middle English ragge, from Old English ragg (suggested by derivative raggiġ (“shaggy; bristly; ragged”)), from Old Norse rǫgg (“tuft; shagginess”), from Proto-Germanic *rawwa-, probably related to *rūhaz. Cognate with Swedish ragg. Related to rug.

This word in other languages

jirón(Español)chiffon(Français)Lappen(Deutsch)trapo(Português)

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 "rag"?
"rag" is spelled R-A-G. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈɹæɡ/.
What does "rag" mean?
As a noun, "rag" means: Tattered clothes (clothing).
What words are commonly confused with "rag"?
"rag" is commonly confused with "re", "RS", "rd". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "rag"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "rag" is /ˈɹæɡ/. 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 "rag"?
From Middle English ragge, from Old English ragg (suggested by derivative raggiġ (“shaggy; bristly; ragged”)), from Old Norse rǫgg (“tuft; shagginess”), from Proto-Germanic *rawwa-, probably related to *rūhaz. Cognate with Swedish ragg. Related to... 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 “rag”

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

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