stuff

/stʌf/

//stʌf// noun

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

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

The verdict

“stuff” is in the everyday core of English, ranked #757 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#757
frequency rank, English
5
letters
6
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Miscellaneous items or objects; (with possessive) personal effects.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

stuff vs surf
60% similar
stuff vs stun
60% similar
stuff vs Sufi
40% similar

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

Key facts for stuff
PropertyValue
Headwordstuff
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/stʌf/
Letters5
Frequency rank#757
Misspellings tracked6
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “stuff” 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). stuff lands here:

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

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

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for stuff is 5 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /stʌf/. Corpus data places it at rank #757 in overall English word frequency, putting it firmly in the everyday core of the language. Wiktionary records 14 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 6 likely wrong-spelling variants for stuff, with forms such as "sstuff", "stfuf", and "sttuff". 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, "surf", "stun", "Sufi", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English stuf, stuffe, borrowed from Medieval Latin stuffa and its etymon Old French estofe, estoffe, estuf, estuffe, stoffe, from estoffer, estofer (“to provide what is necessary, equip, stuff”), borrowed from Old High German stoffōn, from Proto… The correct English form is stuff, spelled S-T-U-F-F.

Definition

  1. 1
    Miscellaneous items or objects; (with possessive) personal effects.
  2. 2
    Miscellaneous items or objects; (with possessive) personal effects.
  3. 3
    Unspecified things or matters.
  4. 4
    The tangible substance that goes into the makeup of a physical object.
  5. 5
    The tangible substance that goes into the makeup of a physical object.
  6. 6
    The tangible substance that goes into the makeup of a physical object.
  7. 7
    The tangible substance that goes into the makeup of a physical object.
  8. 8
    The tangible substance that goes into the makeup of a physical object.
  9. 9
    Used as placeholder, usually for material of unknown type or name.
  10. 10
    Narcotic drugs, especially heroin.
  11. 11
    A medicine or mixture; a potion.
  12. 12
    Refuse or worthless matter; hence, also, foolish or irrational language.
  13. 13
    A melted mass of turpentine, tallow, etc., with which the masts, sides, and bottom of a ship are smeared for lubrication.
  14. 14
    Money.

Etymology

From Middle English stuf, stuffe, borrowed from Medieval Latin stuffa and its etymon Old French estofe, estoffe, estuf, estuffe, stoffe, from estoffer, estofer (“to provide what is necessary, equip, stuff”), borrowed from Old High German stoffōn, from Proto-West Germanic *stoppōn (“to clog up, block, fill”). More at stop.

Synonyms

thingy

This word in other languages

cosas(Español)truc(Français)Sachen(Deutsch)negócio(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: sstuff,stfuf,sttuff,stuf,sutff,tsuff

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of stuff - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

sstuff1stfuf2sttuff1stuf1sutff2tsuff2
Edit distance from "stuff"

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 "stuff"?
"stuff" is spelled S-T-U-F-F. The IPA pronunciation is /stʌf/.
What does "stuff" mean?
As a noun, "stuff" means: Miscellaneous items or objects; (with possessive) personal effects.
What words are commonly confused with "stuff"?
"stuff" is commonly confused with "surf", "stun", "Sufi". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "stuff"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "stuff" is /stʌf/. 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 "stuff"?
From Middle English stuf, stuffe, borrowed from Medieval Latin stuffa and its etymon Old French estofe, estoffe, estuf, estuffe, stoffe, from estoffer, estofer (“to provide what is necessary, equip, stuff”), borrowed from Old High German stoffōn, ... 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 “stuff”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is S-T-U-F-F - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /stʌf/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “surf” - see the side-by-side comparison. stuff vs surf
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
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 FrequencyWords open word-frequency list