scoundrel

/ˈskaʊ̯ndɹəl/

//ˈskaʊ̯ndɹəl// noun

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

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

The verdict

“scoundrel” has 14 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #38,610. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#38,610
frequency rank, English
6,566
“S” headwords
14
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - A mean, worthless fellow; a rascal; a villain; a person without honor or virtue.

Corpus desk

Index EN-scoundrel · scoundrel · English

scoundrel · rank #38,610 · 14 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #38,610
  • LEN-LONG 9 letters
  • VOW-3 3 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-HIGH 14 variants
  • BOOK-DENSE 6,566
  • PHOTO-FINISH Sarkozy

Nearest frequency peer: Sarkozy (-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 “scoundrel”

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

corpus weight

What this shows “scoundrel” 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
Key facts for scoundrel
PropertyValue
Headwordscoundrel
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈskaʊ̯ndɹəl/
Letters9
Frequency rank#38,610
Misspellings tracked14
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “scoundrel”

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

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

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Same rarity band neighbours include “Sarkozy” (#38,609), “Salma” (#38,608), “SDI” (#38,612). Among 6,566 “S” headwords, “scoundrel” is #38,610. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 14 spelling variants around scoundrel (IPA /ˈskaʊ̯ndɹəl/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #38,610 among 6,566 “S” headwords. Dominant gloss: "A mean, worthless fellow; a rascal; a villain; a person without honor or virtue.".

Our generated misspelling index lists 14 likely wrong-spelling variants for scoundrel, with forms such as "csoundrel", "sccoundrel", and "sconudrel". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. It is not paired with a close-neighbour confusable in our 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 earlier scondrel, scondrell, skoundrell, skowndrell, of unknown origin. Possibly related to northern English or Scottish scunner, skuner, scouner, scunder (“to shrink back in fear, disgust, or loathing”) (Encyclopædia Britannica 1911). The correct English form is scoundrel, spelled S-C-O-U-N-D-R-E-L.

Definition

  1. 1
    A mean, worthless fellow; a rascal; a villain; a person without honor or virtue.

Recorded use

Wiktionary example

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

  1. Go! if your ancient but ignoble blood / Has crept thro' Scoundrels ever ſince the Flood.

Etymology

From earlier scondrel, scondrell, skoundrell, skowndrell, of unknown origin. Possibly related to northern English or Scottish scunner, skuner, scouner, scunder (“to shrink back in fear, disgust, or loathing”) (Encyclopædia Britannica 1911).

This word in other languages

bribón(Español)scélérat(Français)Gauner(Deutsch)canalha(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • csoundrel
  • sccoundrel
  • sconudrel
  • scoudnrel
  • scounddrel
  • scounderl
  • scoundrell
  • scoundrle
  • scoundrrel
  • scounndrel
  • scounrdel
  • scuondrel
  • socundrel
  • sscoundrel

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of scoundrel - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

csoundrel2sccoundrel1sconudrel2scoudnrel2scounddrel1scounderl2scoundrell1scoundrle2
Edit distance from "scoundrel"

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 "scoundrel"?
"scoundrel" is spelled S-C-O-U-N-D-R-E-L. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈskaʊ̯ndɹəl/.
What does "scoundrel" mean?
As a noun, "scoundrel" means: A mean, worthless fellow; a rascal; a villain; a person without honor or virtue.
What are common misspellings of "scoundrel"?
Common misspellings include "csoundrel", "sccoundrel", "sconudrel", "scoudnrel", "scounddrel". The correct spelling is "scoundrel".
How do you pronounce "scoundrel"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "scoundrel" is /ˈskaʊ̯ndɹəl/. 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 "scoundrel"?
From earlier scondrel, scondrell, skoundrell, skowndrell, of unknown origin. Possibly related to northern English or Scottish scunner, skuner, scouner, scunder (“to shrink back in fear, disgust, or loathing”) (Encyclopædia Britannica 1911). 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 "scoundrel", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 9 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

riverbank#38,596squirting#38,632stipulate#38,634throwaway#38,651

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (14 here; floor ≥5).

seamstress14 variantspurifying14 variantspanchayat14 variantszeitgeist14 variants

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list