ruby

/ˈɹuː.bi/

//ˈɹuː.bi// noun

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

"ruby" is a 4-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“ruby” has 6 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #7,386. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#7,386
frequency rank, English
3,094
“R” headwords
6
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - A clear, deep, red variety of corundum, valued as a precious stone.

Corpus desk

Index EN-ruby · ruby · English

ruby · rank #7,386 · 6 variants · 20 confusables

  • FREQ-COMMON #7,386
  • LEN-MID 4 letters
  • VOW-2 2 vowels
  • CONFUS-HIGH 20 pairs
  • VAR-MID 6 variants
  • BOOK-MID 3,094
  • PHOTO-FINISH rounded

Nearest frequency peer: rounded (-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 “ruby”

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

corpus weight

What this shows “ruby” 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).

ruby vs run
50% similar
ruby vs rug
50% similar
ruby vs rum
50% similar

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

Key facts for ruby
PropertyValue
Headwordruby
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈɹuː.bi/
Letters4
Frequency rank#7,386
Misspellings tracked6
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “ruby”

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right).rubylands here:

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

The axis is logarithmic, with each marked tick roughly ten times rarer than the last. Same rarity band neighbours include “rounded” (#7,385), “rushed” (#7,387), “regulated” (#7,384). Among 3,094 “R” headwords, “ruby” is #7,386. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 6 spelling variants around ruby (IPA /ˈɹuː.bi/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #7,386 among 3,094 “R” headwords. Wiktionary lists 8 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 6 likely wrong-spelling variants for ruby, with forms such as "rbuy", "rruby", and "rubby". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "run", "rug", "rum", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English ruby, rube, from Old French rubi, from Medieval Latin rubīnus. Doublet of rubi and rubine. Sense 7 (“pronunciation guide”) is from the British 5½-point type size (sense 6), used for annotations in printed documents. The correct English form is ruby, spelled R-U-B-Y.

Definition

  1. 1
    A clear, deep, red variety of corundum, valued as a precious stone.
  2. 2
    A deep red colour.
  3. 3
    The tincture red or gules.
  4. 4
    A ruby hummer, a South American hummingbird, Clytolaema rubricauda.
  5. 5
    A red bird-of-paradise, Paradisaea rubra.
  6. 6
    The size of type between pearl and nonpareil, standardized as 5½-point.
  7. 7
    A pronunciation guide written above or beside Chinese characters.
  8. 8
    A red spinel.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. They respond instantly to the faintest rustling in the covert of a sheaf of Ulysses S. Grants, or the homely, rustic tinkle of a wheelbarrow full of rubies being jounced along over a nightclub floor.
  2. Although there are dozens of different types of gems, among the best known and most important are diamond, ruby and sapphire, emerald and other gem forms of the mineral beryl, chrysoberyl, tanzanite, tsavorite, topaz and jade.

Etymology

From Middle English ruby, rube, from Old French rubi, from Medieval Latin rubīnus. Doublet of rubi and rubine. Sense 7 (“pronunciation guide”) is from the British 5½-point type size (sense 6), used for annotations in printed documents.

This word in other languages

rubí(Español)rubis(Français)Rubin(Deutsch)rubi(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • rbuy
  • rruby
  • rubby
  • rubyy
  • ruyb
  • urby

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of ruby - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

rbuy2rruby1rubby1rubyy1ruyb2urby2
Edit distance from "ruby"

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 "ruby"?
"ruby" is spelled R-U-B-Y. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈɹuː.bi/.
What does "ruby" mean?
As a noun, "ruby" means: A clear, deep, red variety of corundum, valued as a precious stone.
What words are commonly confused with "ruby"?
"ruby" is commonly confused with "run", "rug", "rum". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "ruby"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "ruby" is /ˈɹuː.bi/. 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 "ruby"?
From Middle English ruby, rube, from Old French rubi, from Medieval Latin rubīnus. Doublet of rubi and rubine. Sense 7 (“pronunciation guide”) is from the British 5½-point type size (sense 6), used for annotations in printed documents. 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 "ruby", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 4 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

prey#7,377pond#7,374pity#7,373oval#7,372

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (6 here; floor ≥5).

Ottawa6 variantsOlds6 variantsVienna6 variantslawn6 variants

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list