sorb

/sɔːb/

//sɔːb// noun

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

The verdict

“sorb” is uncommon English (outside the top frequency list), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

Unranked
below top-frequency English
4
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - The service tree, Sorbus domestica.

Corpus desk

Index EN-sorb · sorb · English

sorb · unranked · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-UNRANKED Unranked
  • LEN-MID 4 letters
  • VOW-1 1 vowel
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-THIN "S" thin
  • PHOTO-UNK Peer pending

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.

Key facts for sorb
PropertyValue
Headwordsorb
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/sɔːb/
Letters4
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “sorb” in English

sorbsits beyond the 100,000 most-frequent English words, in the long tail of technical, archaic, or otherwise rare vocabulary where spelling doubt tends to strike hardest.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

sorb is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as anoun, transcribed /sɔːb/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 3 senses are on record.

No generated misspelling entries exist for sorb in our index, suggesting the orthography follows predictable English patterns. 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: Borrowed from Middle French sorbier (the tree), sorbe (the fruit), from Latin sorbus (the tree), sorbum (the fruit). See service tree. The correct English form is sorb, spelled S-O-R-B.

Definition

  1. 1
    The service tree, Sorbus domestica.
  2. 2
    Any of various related trees, including the wild service tree, S. torminalis, and the rowan, S. aucuparia.
  3. 3
    The fruit of any of these trees, especially of the service tree.

Etymology

Borrowed from Middle French sorbier (the tree), sorbe (the fruit), from Latin sorbus (the tree), sorbum (the fruit). See service tree.

This word in other languages

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "sorb"?
"sorb" is spelled S-O-R-B. The IPA pronunciation is /sɔːb/.
What does "sorb" mean?
As a noun, "sorb" means: The service tree, Sorbus domestica.
How do you pronounce "sorb"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "sorb" is /sɔːb/. 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 "sorb"?
Borrowed from Middle French sorbier (the tree), sorbe (the fruit), from Latin sorbus (the tree), sorbum (the fruit). See service tree. 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.

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list