Sotho

/ˈsutu/

//ˈsutu// name

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

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

The verdict

“Sotho” is uncommon English (frequency #97,569 among 54,294 “S” headwords), classed as a proper noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#97,569
frequency rank, English
54,294
“S” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A group of closely related Bantu lects spoken in South Africa, Lesotho, Botswana, and Zambia.

Key facts for Sotho
PropertyValue
HeadwordSotho
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechProper noun
IPA/ˈsutu/
Letters5
Frequency rank#97,569
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “Sotho” 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). Sotho lands here:

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

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

Rare enough to double-check

Sotho is uncommon English at frequency #97,569 among 54,294 “S” headwords, classed as aproper noun, transcribed /ˈsutu/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 2 senses are on record.

Sotho has no tracked misspelling variants, suggesting the orthography follows predictable English patterns. 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: From Sotho, from Sotho -sotho, from Sotho motho. The correct English form is Sotho, spelled S-O-T-H-O.

Definition

  1. 1
    A group of closely related Bantu lects spoken in South Africa, Lesotho, Botswana, and Zambia.
  2. 2
    Sesotho (“the language”) (Southern Sotho).

Etymology

From Sotho, from Sotho -sotho, from Sotho motho.

This word in other languages

sotho du Sud(Français)Sesotho(Deutsch)

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 "Sotho"?
"Sotho" is spelled S-O-T-H-O. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈsutu/.
What does "Sotho" mean?
As a proper noun, "Sotho" means: A group of closely related Bantu lects spoken in South Africa, Lesotho, Botswana, and Zambia.
How do you pronounce "Sotho"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "Sotho" is /ˈsutu/. 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 "Sotho"?
From Sotho, from Sotho -sotho, from Sotho motho. 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 “Sotho”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is S-O-T-H-O - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈsutu/ (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

Other uncommon English words near this rank

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