scullion

/ˈskʌl.i.ən/

//ˈskʌl.i.ən// noun

"scullion" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“scullion” is uncommon English (frequency #90,954 among 6,566 “S” headwords), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#90,954
frequency rank, English
6,566
“S” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - A servant from the lower classes.

Corpus desk

Index EN-scullion · scullion · English

scullion · rank #90,954 · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-RARE #90,954
  • LEN-LONG 8 letters
  • VOW-3 3 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-DENSE 6,566
  • PHOTO-FINISH scribal

Nearest frequency peer: scribal (-2 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 “scullion”

Sparse band: bars invert rank so rarer forms read shorter

corpus weight

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

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for scullion
PropertyValue
Headwordscullion
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈskʌl.i.ən/
Letters8
Frequency rank#90,954
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “scullion” in English

This scale runs from the tiny cluster of words that carry ordinary speech (left) to the long tail of words almost nobody reaches for (right).scullionfalls 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: “scribal” (#90,952), “sclera” (#90,950), “Secunderabad” (#90,960). Among 6,566 “S” headwords, “scullion” is #90,954. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

scullion is uncommon English at frequency #90,954 among 6,566 “S” headwords, classed as anoun, transcribed /ˈskʌl.i.ən/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 2 senses are on record.

scullion has no tracked misspelling variants, a straightforward case of a spelling with little room for common typos. This headword has no recorded confusable partner, suggesting its spelling stands apart enough that readers rarely confuse it with something else.

Etymologically, the entry records: Either from Middle French escouillon (“a swab, cloth”), diminutive of escouve (“broom, twig”) from Latin scopa, or an alteration of Old French souillon (“scullion”) by influence of scullery. The correct English form is scullion, spelled S-C-U-L-L-I-O-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    A servant from the lower classes.
  2. 2
    A low, base person.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. They all looked directly at the ſcullion,—the ſcullion had juſt been ſcouring a fiſh-kettle.
  2. "How now, you scullions and cullions: bring hither a pair of cow's hooves to out face this contumelious caitiff."

Etymology

Either from Middle French escouillon (“a swab, cloth”), diminutive of escouve (“broom, twig”) from Latin scopa, or an alteration of Old French souillon (“scullion”) by influence of scullery.

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 "scullion"?
"scullion" is spelled S-C-U-L-L-I-O-N. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈskʌl.i.ən/.
What does "scullion" mean?
As a noun, "scullion" means: A servant from the lower classes.
How do you pronounce "scullion"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "scullion" is /ˈskʌl.i.ən/. 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 "scullion"?
Either from Middle French escouillon (“a swab, cloth”), diminutive of escouve (“broom, twig”) from Latin scopa, or an alteration of Old French souillon (“scullion”) by influence of scullery. 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 "scullion", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 8 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list