tribune

/ˈtɹɪbjuːn/

//ˈtɹɪbjuːn// noun

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

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

The verdict

“tribune” has 10 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #11,143. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#11,143
frequency rank, English
3,151
“T” headwords
10
tracked misspellings
3
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - An elected official in Ancient Rome, a tribune of the plebs.

Corpus desk

Index EN-tribune · tribune · English

tribune · rank #11,143 · 10 variants · 3 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #11,143
  • LEN-LONG 7 letters
  • VOW-3 3 vowels
  • CONFUS-LOW 3 pairs
  • VAR-MID 10 variants
  • BOOK-MID 3,151
  • PHOTO-FINISH tri

Nearest frequency peer: tri (-1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “tribune”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “tribune” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

tribune vs tribute
86% similar
tribune vs tribe
71% similar
tribune vs tribunal
75% similar

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

Key facts for tribune
PropertyValue
Headwordtribune
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈtɹɪbjuːn/
Letters7
Frequency rank#11,143
Misspellings tracked10
Confusable pairs3
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “tribune”

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right).tribunelands here:

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

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Same rarity band neighbours include “tri” (#11,142), “treaties” (#11,141), “tract” (#11,140). Among 3,151 “T” headwords, “tribune” is #11,143. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 10 spelling variants around tribune (IPA /ˈtɹɪbjuːn/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #11,143 among 3,151 “T” headwords. Wiktionary lists 5 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 10 likely wrong-spelling variants for tribune, with forms such as "rtibune", "tirbune", and "trbiune". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. It also participates in 3 confusable-pair relationships, "tribute", "tribe", "tribunal", since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English tribune, from Old French tribun, tribune, from Latin tribunus (“tribune, tribal leader”), from tribus (“tribe”). The correct English form is tribune, spelled T-R-I-B-U-N-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    An elected official in Ancient Rome, a tribune of the plebs.
  2. 2
    A military officer in Ancient Rome ranking below a legate and above a centurion, a military tribune.
  3. 3
    A protector of the people; a public figure who appeals to and on behalf of the people through oratory.
  4. 4
    The domed or vaulted apse in a cathedral housing the bishop's throne (see).
  5. 5
    Synonym of pulpit, a platform, a place or opportunity to express one's opinion

Recorded use

Wiktionary example

These source excerpts show how tribune appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. The new magazine's goal is to give a tribune to unmarried mothers.

Etymology

From Middle English tribune, from Old French tribun, tribune, from Latin tribunus (“tribune, tribal leader”), from tribus (“tribe”).

This word in other languages

tribun(Français)Tribüne(Deutsch)tribuno(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • rtibune
  • tirbune
  • trbiune
  • tribbune
  • tribnue
  • tribuen
  • tribunne
  • triubne
  • trribune
  • ttribune

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of tribune - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

rtibune2tirbune2trbiune2tribbune1tribnue2tribuen2tribunne1triubne2
Edit distance from "tribune"

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 "tribune"?
"tribune" is spelled T-R-I-B-U-N-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈtɹɪbjuːn/.
What does "tribune" mean?
As a noun, "tribune" means: An elected official in Ancient Rome, a tribune of the plebs.
What words are commonly confused with "tribune"?
"tribune" is commonly confused with "tribute", "tribe", "tribunal". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "tribune"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "tribune" is /ˈtɹɪbjuːn/. 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 "tribune"?
From Middle English tribune, from Old French tribun, tribune, from Latin tribunus (“tribune, tribal leader”), from tribus (“tribe”). 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.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "tribune", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 7 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

Theresa#11,136theorem#11,135texting#11,134winding#11,155

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (10 here; floor ≥5).

treaties10 variantswildly10 variantsbananas10 variantscapsule10 variants

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list