tapioca

/tæpiˈoʊkə/

//tæpiˈoʊkə// noun

"tapioca" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“tapioca” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #46,210 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#46,210
frequency rank, English
7
letters
9
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A starchy food made from the cassava plant, used in puddings.

Key facts for tapioca
PropertyValue
Headwordtapioca
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/tæpiˈoʊkə/
Letters7
Frequency rank#46,210
Misspellings tracked9
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “tapioca” 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). tapioca 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 tapioca is 7 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /tæpiˈoʊkə/. Corpus data places it at rank #46,210 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 2 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 9 likely wrong-spelling variants for tapioca, with forms such as "atpioca", "taipoca", and "tapicoa". 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. We don't track a confusable pairing for this entry, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.

Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowed from Portuguese tapioca, from Old Tupi tapi'oka. The correct English form is tapioca, spelled T-A-P-I-O-C-A.

Definition

  1. 1
    A starchy food made from the cassava plant, used in puddings.
  2. 2
    The cassava plant, Manihot esculenta, from which tapioca is derived; manioc.

Etymology

Borrowed from Portuguese tapioca, from Old Tupi tapi'oka.

This word in other languages

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: atpioca,taipoca,tapicoa,tapioac,tapiocca,tapoica,tappioca,tpaioca,ttapioca

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of tapioca - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

atpioca2taipoca2tapicoa2tapioac2tapiocca1tapoica2tappioca1tpaioca2
Edit distance from "tapioca"

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 "tapioca"?
"tapioca" is spelled T-A-P-I-O-C-A. The IPA pronunciation is /tæpiˈoʊkə/.
What does "tapioca" mean?
As a noun, "tapioca" means: A starchy food made from the cassava plant, used in puddings.
What are common misspellings of "tapioca"?
Common misspellings include "atpioca", "taipoca", "tapicoa", "tapioac", "tapiocca". The correct spelling is "tapioca".
How do you pronounce "tapioca"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "tapioca" is /tæpiˈoʊkə/. 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 "tapioca"?
Borrowed from Portuguese tapioca, from Old Tupi tapi'oka. 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 “tapioca”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is T-A-P-I-O-C-A - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /tæpiˈoʊkə/ (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
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