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” has 7 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #9,527. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#9,527
frequency rank, English
3,094
“R” headwords
7
tracked misspellings
2
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - A long, narrow strip of material used for decoration of clothing or the hair or gift wrapping.

Corpus desk

Index EN-ribbon · ribbon · English

ribbon · rank #9,527 · 7 variants · 2 confusables

  • FREQ-COMMON #9,527
  • LEN-LONG 6 letters
  • VOW-2 2 vowels
  • CONFUS-LOW 2 pairs
  • VAR-MID 7 variants
  • BOOK-MID 3,094
  • PHOTO-FINISH rewarded

Nearest frequency peer: rewarded (-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 “ribbon”

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

corpus weight

What this shows “ribbon” 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).

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)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “ribbon”

Word frequency stretches from the small set of words we reach for constantly (left) out to the long tail barely used once in a while (right).ribbonlands here:

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

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Same rarity band neighbours include “rewarded” (#9,526), “Rochester” (#9,528), “retention” (#9,525). Among 3,094 “R” headwords, “ribbon” is #9,527. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 7 spelling variants around ribbon (IPA /ˈɹɪbən/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #9,527 among 3,094 “R” headwords. Wiktionary lists 16 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

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.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. A Svveet diſorder in the dreſſe / Kindles in cloathes a vvantonneſſe: / […] / A Cuffe neglectfull, and thereby / Ribbands to flovv confuſedly: / […] / Do more bevvitch me, than vvhen Art / Is too preciſe in every part.
  2. With Monday marking the beginning of October’s annual Breast Cancer Awareness Month observance, supporters will be donning their pink ribbons as a show of support for ongoing research for a cure.

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.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "ribbon", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 6 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

rotten#9,531suburb#9,547temper#9,551melody#9,496

Similar misspelling depth

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

pupil7 variantspromo7 variantsspoil7 variantsposed7 variants

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list