# ronin

> English word · Noun · frequency rank #38,599

## Definitions
1. A masterless samurai (who often becomes a mercenary to make ends meet).
2. A student who has failed the entrance examination for the high school or university of their choice: if the student does not wish to take the exam the following year or is unable to, the student becomes a ronin, assuming full responsibility for their own training and survival.

## Etymology
From Japanese 浪人 (rōnin), in turn from Middle Chinese 浪人 (MC langH nyin, “dissolute, wasteful, unrestrained + person”).

## Easily confused with
- **ruin** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ronin-vs-ruin)
- **Rosie** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ronin-vs-rosie)
- **rosen** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ronin-vs-rosen)
- **Rubin** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ronin-vs-rubin)
- **rowan** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ronin-vs-rowan)
- **Ronny** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ronin-vs-ronny)
- **Rouen** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ronin-vs-rouen)
- **Ronnie** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ronin-vs-ronnie)
- **rowing** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ronin-vs-rowing)
- **roving** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ronin-vs-roving)
- **ronson** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ronin-vs-ronson)
- **Ron** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ron-vs-ronin)
- **Roi** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/roi-vs-ronin)
- **rin** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rin-vs-ronin)
- **rain** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rain-vs-ronin)
- **rein** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rein-vs-ronin)
- **rani** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rani-vs-ronin)
- **rona** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rona-vs-ronin)
- **Roan** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/roan-vs-ronin)
- **Rong** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rong-vs-ronin)

## Common misspellings (7)
`ornin`, `rnoin`, `roinn`, `roninn`, `ronni`, `ronnin`, `rronin`

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