rib

/ɹɪb/

//ɹɪb// noun

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

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

The verdict

“rib” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #13,230 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#13,230
frequency rank, English
3
letters
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Any of a series of long curved bones occurring in 12 pairs in humans and other animals and extending from the spine to or toward the sternum.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

rib vs RS
0% similar
rib vs RT
0% similar
rib vs RM
0% similar

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

Key facts for rib
PropertyValue
Headwordrib
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ɹɪb/
Letters3
Frequency rank#13,230
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “rib” 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). rib 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 rib is 3 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ɹɪb/. Corpus data places it at rank #13,230 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 13 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

No misspelling variants are generated for rib in our index, a straightforward case of a spelling with little room for common typos. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "RS", "RT", "RM", and more, since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English rib, ribbe, from Old English ribb (“rib”), from Proto-West Germanic *ribi, from Proto-Germanic *ribją (“rib, reef”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₁rebʰ- (“arch, ceiling, cover”). Cognate with Dutch rib (“rib”), Norwegian ribbe (“sparerib”)… The correct English form is rib, spelled R-I-B.

Definition

  1. 1
    Any of a series of long curved bones occurring in 12 pairs in humans and other animals and extending from the spine to or toward the sternum.
  2. 2
    A part or piece, similar to a rib, and serving to shape or support something.
  3. 3
    A cut of meat enclosing one or more rib bones.
  4. 4
    Any of several curved members attached to a ship's keel and extending upward and outward to form the framework of the hull.
  5. 5
    Any of several transverse pieces that provide an aircraft wing with shape and strength.
  6. 6
    A long, narrow, usually arched member projecting from the surface of a structure, especially such a member separating the webs of a vault
  7. 7
    A strip of metal running along the top of the barrel that serves as a sighting plane.
  8. 8
    A raised ridge in knitted material or in cloth.
  9. 9
    The main, or any of the prominent veins of a leaf.
  10. 10
    A teasing joke.
  11. 11
    A single strand of hair.
  12. 12
    A stalk of celery.
  13. 13
    A wife or woman.

Etymology

From Middle English rib, ribbe, from Old English ribb (“rib”), from Proto-West Germanic *ribi, from Proto-Germanic *ribją (“rib, reef”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₁rebʰ- (“arch, ceiling, cover”). Cognate with Dutch rib (“rib”), Norwegian ribbe (“sparerib”), Norwegian ribben (“rib”), Low German ribbe (“rib”), German Rippe (“rib”), Old Norse rif (“rib, reef”), Serbo-Croatian rèbro (“rib”). (wife or woman): In reference to the creation of Eve from Adam's rib in the Bible.

This word in other languages

costilla(Español)côte(Français)Rippe(Deutsch)costela(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 "rib"?
"rib" is spelled R-I-B. The IPA pronunciation is /ɹɪb/.
What does "rib" mean?
As a noun, "rib" means: Any of a series of long curved bones occurring in 12 pairs in humans and other animals and extending from the spine to or toward the sternum.
What words are commonly confused with "rib"?
"rib" is commonly confused with "RS", "RT", "RM". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "rib"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "rib" is /ɹɪb/. 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 "rib"?
From Middle English rib, ribbe, from Old English ribb (“rib”), from Proto-West Germanic *ribi, from Proto-Germanic *ribją (“rib, reef”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₁rebʰ- (“arch, ceiling, cover”). Cognate with Dutch rib (“rib”), Norwegian ribbe (“... 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 “rib”

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

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