ruin

/ˈɹuː.ɪn/

//ˈɹuː.ɪn// noun

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

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

The verdict

“ruin” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #4,265 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#4,265
frequency rank, English
4
letters
5
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - The remains of a destroyed or dilapidated construction, such as a house or castle.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

ruin vs run
75% similar
ruin vs rum
50% similar
ruin vs rut
50% similar

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

Key facts for ruin
PropertyValue
Headwordruin
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈɹuː.ɪn/
Letters4
Frequency rank#4,265
Misspellings tracked5
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “ruin” 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). ruin 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 ruin is 4 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈɹuː.ɪn/. Corpus data places it at rank #4,265 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 8 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 5 likely wrong-spelling variants for ruin, with forms such as "riun", "rruin", and "ruinn". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "run", "rum", "rut", 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 ruyne, ruine, from Old French ruine, from Latin ruīna (“overthrow, ruin”), from ruō (“to fall down, tumble, sink in ruin, rush”). The correct English form is ruin, spelled R-U-I-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    The remains of a destroyed or dilapidated construction, such as a house or castle.
  2. 2
    The state of being a ruin, destroyed or decayed.
  3. 3
    Something that leads to serious trouble or destruction.
  4. 4
    The act of ruining something.
  5. 5
    The act of ruining something.
  6. 6
    A fall or tumble.
  7. 7
    A change that destroys or defeats something; destruction; overthrow.
  8. 8
    Complete financial loss; bankruptcy.

Etymology

From Middle English ruyne, ruine, from Old French ruine, from Latin ruīna (“overthrow, ruin”), from ruō (“to fall down, tumble, sink in ruin, rush”).

This word in other languages

ruina(Español)ruine(Français)Ruine(Deutsch)ruína(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: riun,rruin,ruinn,runi,urin

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of ruin - 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.

riun2rruin1ruinn1runi2urin2
Edit distance from "ruin"

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 "ruin"?
"ruin" is spelled R-U-I-N. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈɹuː.ɪn/.
What does "ruin" mean?
As a noun, "ruin" means: The remains of a destroyed or dilapidated construction, such as a house or castle.
What words are commonly confused with "ruin"?
"ruin" is commonly confused with "run", "rum", "rut". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "ruin"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "ruin" is /ˈɹuː.ɪn/. 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 "ruin"?
From Middle English ruyne, ruine, from Old French ruine, from Latin ruīna (“overthrow, ruin”), from ruō (“to fall down, tumble, sink in ruin, rush”). 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 “ruin”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is R-U-I-N - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈɹuː.ɪn/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “run” - see the side-by-side comparison. ruin vs run
  • 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