runt

/ɹʌnt/

//ɹʌnt// noun

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

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

The verdict

“runt” is uncommon English (frequency #55,076 among 21,470 “R” headwords), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#55,076
frequency rank, English
21,470
“R” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - The smallest animal of a litter.

Key facts for runt
PropertyValue
Headwordrunt
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ɹʌnt/
Letters4
Frequency rank#55,076
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “runt” 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). runt lands here:

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

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

runt is uncommon English at frequency #55,076 among 21,470 “R” headwords, classed as anoun, transcribed /ɹʌnt/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 9 senses are on record.

runt doesn't appear in our generated misspelling index, typically a sign the spelling maps closely to how the word sounds. This headword has no recorded confusable partner, a sign it's visually distinctive enough not to be mixed up with another word.

Etymologically, the entry records: The OED classifies this word as "of obscure origin". Some see a connection to Middle Dutch runt (“ox”), but the OED considers this to be unlikely. Possibly connected to Icelandic hrotti meaning "brute". The correct English form is runt, spelled R-U-N-T.

Definition

  1. 1
    The smallest animal of a litter.
  2. 2
    The smallest child in the family.
  3. 3
    Undersized or stunted plant, animal or person.
  4. 4
    An uninfluential or unimportant person; a nobody.
  5. 5
    An Ethernet packet that does not meet the medium's minimum packet size of 64 bytes.
  6. 6
    A single word (or portion of a hyphenated word) that appears as the last line of a paragraph.
  7. 7
    A breed of pigeon related to the carrier pigeon.
  8. 8
    A hardened stem or stalk of a plant.
  9. 9
    A bow.

Etymology

The OED classifies this word as "of obscure origin". Some see a connection to Middle Dutch runt (“ox”), but the OED considers this to be unlikely. Possibly connected to Icelandic hrotti meaning "brute".

This word in other languages

benjamín(Español)avorton(Français)Zwerg(Deutsch)

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 "runt"?
"runt" is spelled R-U-N-T. The IPA pronunciation is /ɹʌnt/.
What does "runt" mean?
As a noun, "runt" means: The smallest animal of a litter.
How do you pronounce "runt"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "runt" is /ɹʌnt/. 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 "runt"?
The OED classifies this word as "of obscure origin". Some see a connection to Middle Dutch runt (“ox”), but the OED considers this to be unlikely. Possibly connected to Icelandic hrotti meaning "brute". 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 “runt”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is R-U-N-T - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ɹʌnt/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words

Other uncommon English words near this rank

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