# sun

> English word · Proper noun · IPA /sʌn/ · frequency rank #1,154

## Definitions
1. The star that is closest to the Earth.

## Etymology
From Middle English sonne, sunne, from Old English sunne, from Proto-West Germanic *sunnā, from Proto-Germanic *sunnǭ, from heteroclitic inanimate Proto-Indo-European *sh₂wen-, oblique of Proto-Indo-European *sóh₂wl̥ (“sun”). See also Saterland Frisian Sunne, West Frisian sinne, German Low German Sünn, Dutch zon, German Sonne, Icelandic sunna; outside of Germanic, Welsh huan, Sanskrit स्वर् (svàr), Avestan 𐬓𐬇𐬧𐬔 (xᵛə̄ṇg)). Related to sol, Sol, Surya, and Helios. More at solar.

## Easily confused with
- **SW** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sun-vs-sw)
- **SV** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sun-vs-sv)
- **Sy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sun-vs-sy)
- **SUV** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sun-vs-suv)
- **sup** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sun-vs-sup)
- **Syd** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sun-vs-syd)
- **Sus** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sun-vs-sus)
- **syn** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sun-vs-syn)
- **SVP** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sun-vs-svp)
- **SVG** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sun-vs-svg)
- **sure** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sun-vs-sure)
- **sung** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sun-vs-sung)
- **surf** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sun-vs-surf)
- **sync** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sun-vs-sync)
- **swan** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sun-vs-swan)
- **sunk** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sun-vs-sunk)
- **suns** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sun-vs-suns)
- **Sven** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sun-vs-sven)
- **SUVs** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sun-vs-suvs)
- **SUNY** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sun-vs-suny)

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/sun