scoff

/skɒf/

//skɒf// noun

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

"scoff" is a 5-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“scoff” has 6 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #38,151. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#38,151
frequency rank, English
6,566
“S” headwords
6
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - A derisive or mocking expression of scorn, contempt, or reproach.

Corpus desk

Index EN-scoff · scoff · English

scoff · rank #38,151 · 6 variants · 20 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #38,151
  • LEN-MID 5 letters
  • VOW-1 1 vowel
  • CONFUS-HIGH 20 pairs
  • VAR-MID 6 variants
  • BOOK-DENSE 6,566
  • PHOTO-FINISH Schengen

Nearest frequency peer: Schengen (-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 “scoff”

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

corpus weight

What this shows “scoff” 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).

scoff vs soft
60% similar
scoff vs sofa
60% similar
scoff vs Scot
40% similar

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

Key facts for scoff
PropertyValue
Headwordscoff
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/skɒf/
Letters5
Frequency rank#38,151
Misspellings tracked6
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “scoff”

Word frequency stretches from the small set of words we reach for constantly (left) out to the long tail barely used once in a while (right).scofflands 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 “Schengen” (#38,150), “scythe” (#38,152), “scarab” (#38,149). Among 6,566 “S” headwords, “scoff” is #38,151. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 6 spelling variants around scoff (IPA /skɒf/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #38,151 among 6,566 “S” headwords. Wiktionary lists 2 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 6 likely wrong-spelling variants for scoff, with forms such as "csoff", "sccoff", and "scfof". 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. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "soft", "sofa", "Scot", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English scof, skof, probably of North Germanic origin. Compare Old Norse skaup, Old Danish skof, Old Frisian skof (“insult, shame”), and Old High German scoph. The correct English form is scoff, spelled S-C-O-F-F.

Definition

  1. 1
    A derisive or mocking expression of scorn, contempt, or reproach.
  2. 2
    An object of scorn, mockery, or derision.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. VVith ſcoffes and ſcornes, and contumelious taunts, / In open Market-place produc't they me, / To be a publique ſpectacle to all: / Here, ſayd they, is the Terror of the French, / The Scar-Crovv that affrights our Children ſo.
  2. "I believe you've killed that constable in the exercise of his duty, sir; the man's dead;" said Lowe, sternly. / "Another gloss on my text; why invade me like house-breakers?" said Dangerfield, with a grim scoff.

Etymology

From Middle English scof, skof, probably of North Germanic origin. Compare Old Norse skaup, Old Danish skof, Old Frisian skof (“insult, shame”), and Old High German scoph.

This word in other languages

burla(Español)dérision(Français)Spott(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • csoff
  • sccoff
  • scfof
  • scof
  • socff
  • sscoff

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

csoff2sccoff1scfof2scof1socff2sscoff1
Edit distance from "scoff"

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 "scoff"?
"scoff" is spelled S-C-O-F-F. The IPA pronunciation is /skɒf/.
What does "scoff" mean?
As a noun, "scoff" means: A derisive or mocking expression of scorn, contempt, or reproach.
What words are commonly confused with "scoff"?
"scoff" is commonly confused with "soft", "sofa", "Scot". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "scoff"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "scoff" is /skɒf/. 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 "scoff"?
From Middle English scof, skof, probably of North Germanic origin. Compare Old Norse skaup, Old Danish skof, Old Frisian skof (“insult, shame”), and Old High German scoph. 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 "scoff", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 5 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

sepia#38,157rowed#38,141Surya#38,188tabor#38,191

Similar misspelling depth

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

pews6 variantsNoelle6 variantsnang6 variantsmoser6 variants

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list