ribbon

/ˈɹɪbən/

//ˈɹɪbən// noun

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

"ribbon" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“ribbon” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #9,527 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#9,527
frequency rank, English
6
letters
7
tracked misspellings
2
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A long, narrow strip of material used for decoration of clothing or the hair or gift wrapping.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

ribbon vs ripon
67% similar
ribbon vs Robson
50% similar

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

Key facts for ribbon
PropertyValue
Headwordribbon
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈɹɪbən/
Letters6
Frequency rank#9,527
Misspellings tracked7
Confusable pairs2
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “ribbon” 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). ribbon 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 ribbon is 6 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈɹɪbən/. Corpus data places it at rank #9,527 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 16 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 7 likely wrong-spelling variants for ribbon, with forms such as "irbbon", "rbibon", and "ribbno". 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 2 confusable-pair relationships, "ripon", "Robson", since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English riban, ryban, ryband, from Old French riban, ruban ( > modern French ruban), of uncertain origin. Likely from a Germanic compound whose second element is cognate with English band. Compare Middle Dutch ringhband (“necklace”, literally “r… The correct English form is ribbon, spelled R-I-B-B-O-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    A long, narrow strip of material used for decoration of clothing or the hair or gift wrapping.
  2. 2
    An awareness ribbon.
  3. 3
    An inked strip of material against which type is pressed to print letters in a typewriter or printer.
  4. 4
    A narrow strip or shred.
  5. 5
    A narrow strip or shred.
  6. 6
    Alternative form of ribband.
  7. 7
    A painted moulding on the side of a ship.
  8. 8
    A watchspring.
  9. 9
    A bandsaw.
  10. 10
    Reins for a horse.
  11. 11
    A bearing similar to the bend, but only one eighth as wide.
  12. 12
    A sliver.
  13. 13
    A subheadline presented above its parent headline.
  14. 14
    A toolbar that incorporates tabs and menus.
  15. 15
    An apparatus with a handle and a long narrow strip of fabric.
  16. 16
    An apparatus with a handle and a long narrow strip of fabric.

Etymology

From Middle English riban, ryban, ryband, from Old French riban, ruban ( > modern French ruban), of uncertain origin. Likely from a Germanic compound whose second element is cognate with English band. Compare Middle Dutch ringhband (“necklace”, literally “ring-band”).

This word in other languages

cinta(Español)ruban(Français)Band(Deutsch)fita(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: irbbon,rbibon,ribbno,ribbonn,ribobn,ribon,rribbon

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

irbbon2rbibon2ribbno2ribbonn1ribobn2ribon1rribbon1
Edit distance from "ribbon"

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 "ribbon"?
"ribbon" is spelled R-I-B-B-O-N. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈɹɪbən/.
What does "ribbon" mean?
As a noun, "ribbon" means: A long, narrow strip of material used for decoration of clothing or the hair or gift wrapping.
What words are commonly confused with "ribbon"?
"ribbon" is commonly confused with "ripon", "Robson". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "ribbon"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "ribbon" is /ˈɹɪbən/. 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 "ribbon"?
From Middle English riban, ryban, ryband, from Old French riban, ruban ( > modern French ruban), of uncertain origin. Likely from a Germanic compound whose second element is cognate with English band. Compare Middle Dutch ringhband (“necklace”, li... 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 “ribbon”

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

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