raven

/ˈɹeɪvn̩/

//ˈɹeɪvn̩// noun

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

"raven" is a 5-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“raven” has 7 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #9,805. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#9,805
frequency rank, English
3,094
“R” headwords
7
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - Any of several, generally large, species of birds in the genus Corvus with lustrous black plumage; especially the common raven (Corvus corax).

Corpus desk

Index EN-raven · raven · English

raven · rank #9,805 · 7 variants · 20 confusables

  • FREQ-COMMON #9,805
  • LEN-MID 5 letters
  • VOW-2 2 vowels
  • CONFUS-HIGH 20 pairs
  • VAR-MID 7 variants
  • BOOK-MID 3,094
  • PHOTO-FINISH rails

Nearest frequency peer: rails (-1 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 “raven”

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

corpus weight

What this shows “raven” 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).

raven vs ren
60% similar
raven vs Ravi
40% similar
raven vs rove
60% similar

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

Key facts for raven
PropertyValue
Headwordraven
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈɹeɪvn̩/
Letters5
Frequency rank#9,805
Misspellings tracked7
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “raven”

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

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

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Same rarity band neighbours include “rails” (#9,804), “receptor” (#9,806), “pumped” (#9,803). Among 3,094 “R” headwords, “raven” is #9,805. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 7 spelling variants around raven (IPA /ˈɹeɪvn̩/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #9,805 among 3,094 “R” headwords. Wiktionary lists 7 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 7 likely wrong-spelling variants for raven, with forms such as "arven", "raevn", and "ravenn". 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. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "ren", "Ravi", "rove", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English raven, reven (“raven (Corvus corax); carrion crow (Corvus corone); rook (Corvus frugilegus) (?); the constellation Corvus; gall nuts of the Aleppo oak (Quercus infectoria) used to make black ink”), from Old English hræfn (“raven”), from … The correct English form is raven, spelled R-A-V-E-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    Any of several, generally large, species of birds in the genus Corvus with lustrous black plumage; especially the common raven (Corvus corax).
  2. 2
    Any of several, generally large, species of birds in the genus Corvus with lustrous black plumage; especially the common raven (Corvus corax).
  3. 3
    Any of several, generally large, species of birds in the genus Corvus with lustrous black plumage; especially the common raven (Corvus corax).
  4. 4
    Any of several, generally large, species of birds in the genus Corvus with lustrous black plumage; especially the common raven (Corvus corax).
  5. 5
    Any of several, generally large, species of birds in the genus Corvus with lustrous black plumage; especially the common raven (Corvus corax).
  6. 6
    Any of several, generally large, species of birds in the genus Corvus with lustrous black plumage; especially the common raven (Corvus corax).
  7. 7
    A person who brings bad news or makes pessimistic predictions.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. Some ſay that Rauens foſter forlorne children, / The vvhilſt their ovvne birds famiſh in their neſts: / Oh be to me though thy hard hart ſay no, / Nothing ſo kinde but ſomething pittifull.
  2. Thus like the ſad preſaging Rauen that tolls / The ſick mans paſſeport in her hollovv beake, / And in the ſhadovv of the ſilent night / Doth ſhake contagion from her ſable vvings; / Vex'd and tormented runnes poore Barabas / VVith fatall curſes tovvards theſe Chriſtians.

Etymology

From Middle English raven, reven (“raven (Corvus corax); carrion crow (Corvus corone); rook (Corvus frugilegus) (?); the constellation Corvus; gall nuts of the Aleppo oak (Quercus infectoria) used to make black ink”), from Old English hræfn (“raven”), from Proto-West Germanic *hrabn (“raven”), from Proto-Germanic *hrabnaz (“raven”), probably from Proto-Indo-European *ḱrep- (“to crackle; to rattle”) or *ḱer- (“to croak, crow”), probably ultimately onomatopoeic, referring to the bird’s call.

This word in other languages

cuervo(Español)grand corbeau(Français)Rabe(Deutsch)corvo(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • arven
  • raevn
  • ravenn
  • ravne
  • ravven
  • rraven
  • rvaen

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

arven2raevn2ravenn1ravne2ravven1rraven1rvaen2
Edit distance from "raven"

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 "raven"?
"raven" is spelled R-A-V-E-N. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈɹeɪvn̩/.
What does "raven" mean?
As a noun, "raven" means: Any of several, generally large, species of birds in the genus Corvus with lustrous black plumage; especially the common raven (Corvus corax).
What words are commonly confused with "raven"?
"raven" is commonly confused with "ren", "Ravi", "rove". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "raven"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "raven" is /ˈɹeɪvn̩/. 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 "raven"?
From Middle English raven, reven (“raven (Corvus corax); carrion crow (Corvus corone); rook (Corvus frugilegus) (?); the constellation Corvus; gall nuts of the Aleppo oak (Quercus infectoria) used to make black ink”), from Old English hræfn (“rave... 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 "raven", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 5 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

rails#9,804rehab#9,807Rhode#9,814skins#9,817

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (7 here; floor ≥5).

Megan7 variantsLopez7 variantsAllison7 variantsbuffer7 variants

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list