rooster

/ˈɹuːstə/

//ˈɹuːstə// noun

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

"rooster" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“rooster” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #19,441 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#19,441
frequency rank, English
7
letters
9
tracked misspellings
7
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A male domestic chicken (Gallus gallus domesticus) or other gallinaceous bird.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

rooster vs roster
86% similar
rooster vs rooted
71% similar
rooster vs router
71% similar

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

Key facts for rooster
PropertyValue
Headwordrooster
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈɹuːstə/
Letters7
Frequency rank#19,441
Misspellings tracked9
Confusable pairs7
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “rooster” 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). rooster 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 rooster is 7 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈɹuːstə/. Corpus data places it at rank #19,441 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 8 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 9 likely wrong-spelling variants for rooster, with forms such as "oroster", "roosetr", and "roosster". 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 7 confusable-pair relationships, "roster", "rooted", "router", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: From roost + -er. In the regions where it is used, displaced cock through taboo avoidance. Compare typologically Russian насе́дка (nasédka) (akin to наси́живать (nasíživatʹ), also akin to насе́ст (nasést)). The correct English form is rooster, spelled R-O-O-S-T-E-R.

Definition

  1. 1
    A male domestic chicken (Gallus gallus domesticus) or other gallinaceous bird.
  2. 2
    A bird or bat which roosts or is roosting.
  3. 3
    An informer.
  4. 4
    A violent or disorderly person.
  5. 5
    A powerful, prideful, or pompous person.
  6. 6
    A man.
  7. 7
    A wild violet, when used in a children's game based on cockfighting.
  8. 8
    Legislation solely devised to benefit the legislators proposing it.

Etymology

From roost + -er. In the regions where it is used, displaced cock through taboo avoidance. Compare typologically Russian насе́дка (nasédka) (akin to наси́живать (nasíživatʹ), also akin to насе́ст (nasést)).

Synonyms

cockinformantbrawlerimportant personcock of the walkcock of the roostman

This word in other languages

gallo(Español)coq(Français)Hahn(Deutsch)galo(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: oroster,roosetr,roosster,roosterr,roostre,roostter,rootser,rosoter,rrooster

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

oroster2roosetr2roosster1roosterr1roostre2roostter1rootser2rosoter2
Edit distance from "rooster"

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 "rooster"?
"rooster" is spelled R-O-O-S-T-E-R. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈɹuːstə/.
What does "rooster" mean?
As a noun, "rooster" means: A male domestic chicken (Gallus gallus domesticus) or other gallinaceous bird.
What words are commonly confused with "rooster"?
"rooster" is commonly confused with "roster", "rooted", "router". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "rooster"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "rooster" is /ˈɹuːstə/. 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 "rooster"?
From roost + -er. In the regions where it is used, displaced cock through taboo avoidance. Compare typologically Russian насе́дка (nasédka) (akin to наси́живать (nasíživatʹ), also akin to насе́ст (nasést)). 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 “rooster”

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

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