rummage

/ˈɹʌm.ɪd͡ʒ/

//ˈɹʌm.ɪd͡ʒ// verb

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

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

The verdict

“rummage” is uncommon English (frequency #50,783 among 3,094 “R” headwords), classed as a verb. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#50,783
frequency rank, English
3,094
“R” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - To arrange (cargo, goods, etc.) in the hold of a ship; to move or rearrange such goods.

Corpus desk

Index EN-rummage · rummage · English

rummage · rank #50,783 · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-RARE #50,783
  • LEN-LONG 7 letters
  • VOW-3 3 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-MID 3,094
  • PHOTO-FINISH rulemaking

Nearest frequency peer: rulemaking (-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.

Long-tail ranks near “rummage”

Sparse band: bars invert rank so rarer forms read shorter

corpus weight

What this shows Long-tail view: where “rummage” sits against similarly uncommon English ranks.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for rummage
PropertyValue
Headwordrummage
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ˈɹʌm.ɪd͡ʒ/
Letters7
Frequency rank#50,783
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “rummage” in English

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

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

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Rare peers in the same band: “rulemaking” (#50,782), “Salerno” (#50,784), “Roslyn” (#50,781). Among 3,094 “R” headwords, “rummage” is #50,783. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

rummage is uncommon English at frequency #50,783 among 3,094 “R” headwords, classed as averb, transcribed /ˈɹʌm.ɪd͡ʒ/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 4 senses are on record.

rummage doesn't appear in our generated misspelling index, and the word's spelling is regular enough that our generator found nothing worth flagging. This entry stands alone in our confusable dataset, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English ronage, from Old French arrumage (compare French arrimage), from arrumer (“to arrange the cargo in the hold”) (compare French arrimer and Spanish arrumar). The correct English form is rummage, spelled R-U-M-M-A-G-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    To arrange (cargo, goods, etc.) in the hold of a ship; to move or rearrange such goods.
  2. 2
    To search a vessel for smuggled goods.
  3. 3
    To search something thoroughly and with disregard for the way in which things were arranged.
  4. 4
    To hastily search for something in a confined space and among many items by carelessly turning things over or pushing things aside; dig through carelessly.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. After the long voyage, the customs officers rummaged the ship.
  2. She rummaged her purse in search of the keys.

Etymology

From Middle English ronage, from Old French arrumage (compare French arrimage), from arrumer (“to arrange the cargo in the hold”) (compare French arrimer and Spanish arrumar).

This word in other languages

revolver(Español)fouiller(Français)durchwühlen(Deutsch)vasculhar(Português)

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 "rummage"?
"rummage" is spelled R-U-M-M-A-G-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈɹʌm.ɪd͡ʒ/.
What does "rummage" mean?
As a verb, "rummage" means: To arrange (cargo, goods, etc.) in the hold of a ship; to move or rearrange such goods.
How do you pronounce "rummage"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "rummage" is /ˈɹʌm.ɪd͡ʒ/. 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 "rummage"?
From Middle English ronage, from Old French arrumage (compare French arrimage), from arrumer (“to arrange the cargo in the hold”) (compare French arrimer and Spanish arrumar). 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 "rummage", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 7 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

Salerno#50,784Romford#50,779Riddell#50,777sidecar#50,800

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list