# ring

> English word · Noun · IPA /ɹɪŋ/ · frequency rank #1,644

## Definitions
1. A solid object in the shape of a circle.
2. A solid object in the shape of a circle.
3. A solid object in the shape of a circle.
4. A solid object in the shape of a circle.
5. A solid object in the shape of a circle.
6. A solid object in the shape of a circle.
7. A solid object in the shape of a circle.
8. A solid object in the shape of a circle.
9. A solid object in the shape of a circle.
10. A group of objects arranged in a circle.
11. A group of objects arranged in a circle.
12. A group of objects arranged in a circle.
13. A long stripe of contrastive material, colour, etc, that encircles something.
14. Ellipsis of webring.
15. A place where some sports or exhibitions take place; notably a circular or comparable arena, such as a boxing ring or a circus ring; hence the field of a political contest.
16. A place where some sports or exhibitions take place; notably a circular or comparable arena, such as a boxing ring or a circus ring; hence the field of a political contest.
17. An exclusive group of people, usually involving some unethical or illegal practices.
18. A group of atoms linked by bonds to form a closed chain in a molecule.
19. A planar geometrical figure included between two concentric circles.
20. A diacritical mark in the shape of a hollow circle placed above or under the letter; a kroužek.
21. An old English measure of corn equal to the coomb or half a quarter.
22. A hierarchical level of privilege in a computer system, usually at hardware level, used to protect data and functionality (also protection ring).
23. Either of the pair of clamps used to hold a telescopic sight to a rifle.
24. The twenty-fifth Lenormand card.
25. A network topology where connected devices form a circular data channel. All computers on the ring can see every message, and there are no collisions, and a single point of failure will occur if any part of the ring breaks.

## Etymology
From Middle English ryng, from Old English hring (“ring, circle”), from Proto-West Germanic *hring, from Proto-Germanic *hringaz (“ring”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)krengʰ-, extended nasalized form of *(s)ker- (“to turn, bend”). Doublet of rank and rink, as well as indirectly range.
Cognates
* West Frisian ring
* Low German Ring
* Dutch ring
* German Ring
* Swedish ring
* Finnish rengas
More distantly cognate with Proto-Slavic *krǫgъ (whence Bulgarian кръг (krǎg), Polish krąg, Russian круг (krug)).

## Easily confused with
- **RN** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ring-vs-rn)
- **run** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ring-vs-run)
- **Rio** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ring-vs-rio)
- **rip** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ring-vs-rip)
- **Ron** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ring-vs-ron)
- **rug** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ring-vs-rug)
- **RNA** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ring-vs-rna)
- **RPG** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ring-vs-rpg)
- **RNC** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ring-vs-rnc)
- **Rog** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ring-vs-rog)
- **rit** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ring-vs-rit)
- **risk** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ring-vs-risk)
- **runs** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ring-vs-runs)
- **rise** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ring-vs-rise)
- **ruin** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ring-vs-ruin)
- **riot** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ring-vs-riot)
- **Rita** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ring-vs-rita)
- **ripe** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ring-vs-ripe)
- **rite** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ring-vs-rite)
- **rink** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ring-vs-rink)

## Common misspellings (6)
`irng`, `rign`, `ringg`, `rinng`, `rnig`, `rring`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/ring