saxophone

/ˈsæksəfoʊn/

//ˈsæksəfoʊn// noun

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

"saxophone" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“saxophone” has 13 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #23,983. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#23,983
frequency rank, English
54,294
“S” headwords
13
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A single-reed instrument musical instrument of the woodwind family, usually made of brass and with a distinctive loop bringing the bell upwards.

Key facts for saxophone
PropertyValue
Headwordsaxophone
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈsæksəfoʊn/
Letters9
Frequency rank#23,983
Misspellings tracked13
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “saxophone” 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). saxophone lands here:

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

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

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 13 spelling variants around saxophone (IPA /ˈsæksəfoʊn/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #23,983 among 54,294 “S” headwords. Wiktionary lists 2 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 13 likely wrong-spelling variants for saxophone, with forms such as "asxophone", "saoxphone", and "saxohpone". 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. We don't track a confusable pairing for this entry, since its spelling is unusual enough that it doesn't cluster with a lookalike.

Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowed from French saxophone, a combination of the surname of its inventor Adolphe Sax (1814–1894) + -o- + -phone (“something that makes a sound”), from Ancient Greek φωνή (phōnḗ, “sound, voice”). The first element surname is a variant of the German Sachs… The correct English form is saxophone, spelled S-A-X-O-P-H-O-N-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    A single-reed instrument musical instrument of the woodwind family, usually made of brass and with a distinctive loop bringing the bell upwards.
  2. 2
    Someone who plays the saxophone; a saxophonist.

Etymology

Borrowed from French saxophone, a combination of the surname of its inventor Adolphe Sax (1814–1894) + -o- + -phone (“something that makes a sound”), from Ancient Greek φωνή (phōnḗ, “sound, voice”). The first element surname is a variant of the German Sachs (“Saxon”). Analyzable as Sax + -o- + -phone.

This word in other languages

saxofón(Español)saxophone(Français)Saxofon(Deutsch)saxofone(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: asxophone,saoxphone,saxohpone,saxophhone,saxophnoe,saxophoen,saxophonne,saxopohne,saxopphone,saxpohone,saxxophone,ssaxophone,sxaophone

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

asxophone2saoxphone2saxohpone2saxophhone1saxophnoe2saxophoen2saxophonne1saxopohne2
Edit distance from "saxophone"

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 "saxophone"?
"saxophone" is spelled S-A-X-O-P-H-O-N-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈsæksəfoʊn/.
What does "saxophone" mean?
As a noun, "saxophone" means: A single-reed instrument musical instrument of the woodwind family, usually made of brass and with a distinctive loop bringing the bell upwards.
What are common misspellings of "saxophone"?
Common misspellings include "asxophone", "saoxphone", "saxohpone", "saxophhone", "saxophnoe". The correct spelling is "saxophone".
How do you pronounce "saxophone"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "saxophone" is /ˈsæksəfoʊn/. 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 "saxophone"?
Borrowed from French saxophone, a combination of the surname of its inventor Adolphe Sax (1814–1894) + -o- + -phone (“something that makes a sound”), from Ancient Greek φωνή (phōnḗ, “sound, voice”). The first element surname is a variant of the Ge... 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 “saxophone”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is S-A-X-O-P-H-O-N-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈsæksəfoʊn/ (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

Same frequency band

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