tavern

/ˈtævən/

//ˈtævən// noun

"tavern" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“tavern” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #14,034 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#14,034
frequency rank, English
6
letters
9
tracked misspellings
9
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A restaurant or bar.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

tavern vs tern
67% similar
tavern vs Travers
57% similar
tavern vs tarn
67% similar

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

Key facts for tavern
PropertyValue
Headwordtavern
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈtævən/
Letters6
Frequency rank#14,034
Misspellings tracked9
Confusable pairs9
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “tavern” 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). tavern 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 tavern is 6 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈtævən/. Corpus data places it at rank #14,034 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 tavern, with forms such as "atvern", "taevrn", and "tavenr". 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 9 confusable-pair relationships, "tern", "Travers", "tarn", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English taverne, from Old French taverne (“wine shop”), from Latin taberna (“inn”). Doublet of taberna and taverna. The correct English form is tavern, spelled T-A-V-E-R-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    A restaurant or bar.
  2. 2
    A building containing a bar licensed to sell alcoholic drinks, and offering sleeping accommodations for travelers.

Etymology

From Middle English taverne, from Old French taverne (“wine shop”), from Latin taberna (“inn”). Doublet of taberna and taverna.

This word in other languages

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: atvern,taevrn,tavenr,tavernn,taverrn,tavren,tavvern,ttavern,tvaern

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of tavern - 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.

atvern2taevrn2tavenr2tavernn1taverrn1tavren2tavvern1ttavern1
Edit distance from "tavern"

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 "tavern"?
"tavern" is spelled T-A-V-E-R-N. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈtævən/.
What does "tavern" mean?
As a noun, "tavern" means: A restaurant or bar.
What words are commonly confused with "tavern"?
"tavern" is commonly confused with "tern", "Travers", "tarn". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "tavern"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "tavern" is /ˈtævən/. 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 "tavern"?
From Middle English taverne, from Old French taverne (“wine shop”), from Latin taberna (“inn”). Doublet of taberna and taverna. 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 “tavern”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is T-A-V-E-R-N - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈtævən/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “tern” - see the side-by-side comparison. tavern vs tern
  • 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