tungsten

/ˈtʌŋstən/

//ˈtʌŋstən// noun

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

"tungsten" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“tungsten” has 13 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #24,934. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#24,934
frequency rank, English
27,828
“T” headwords
13
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A rare metallic chemical element (symbol W, from Latin wolframium) with an atomic number of 74.

Key facts for tungsten
PropertyValue
Headwordtungsten
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈtʌŋstən/
Letters8
Frequency rank#24,934
Misspellings tracked13
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “tungsten” 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). tungsten lands here:

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

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

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 13 spelling variants around tungsten (IPA /ˈtʌŋstən/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #24,934 among 27,828 “T” headwords. Wiktionary lists 3 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 13 likely wrong-spelling variants for tungsten, with forms such as "tnugsten", "ttungsten", and "tugnsten". 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. Our dataset records no confusable match here, since no other headword is close enough in sound or shape to pair with it.

Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowed from Swedish tungsten (“scheelite”), from tung (“heavy”) + sten (“stone”). The correct English form is tungsten, spelled T-U-N-G-S-T-E-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    A rare metallic chemical element (symbol W, from Latin wolframium) with an atomic number of 74.
  2. 2
    A light bulb containing tungsten.
  3. 3
    scheelite, calcium tungstate

Etymology

Borrowed from Swedish tungsten (“scheelite”), from tung (“heavy”) + sten (“stone”).

Synonyms

wolfram

This word in other languages

wolframio(Español)tungstène(Français)Wolfram(Deutsch)tungstênio(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • tnugsten
  • ttungsten
  • tugnsten
  • tunggsten
  • tungsetn
  • tungssten
  • tungstenn
  • tungstne
  • tungstten
  • tungtsen
  • tunngsten
  • tunsgten
  • utngsten

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

tnugsten2ttungsten1tugnsten2tunggsten1tungsetn2tungssten1tungstenn1tungstne2
Edit distance from "tungsten"

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 "tungsten"?
"tungsten" is spelled T-U-N-G-S-T-E-N. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈtʌŋstən/.
What does "tungsten" mean?
As a noun, "tungsten" means: A rare metallic chemical element (symbol W, from Latin wolframium) with an atomic number of 74.
What are common misspellings of "tungsten"?
Common misspellings include "tnugsten", "ttungsten", "tugnsten", "tunggsten", "tungsetn". The correct spelling is "tungsten".
How do you pronounce "tungsten"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "tungsten" is /ˈtʌŋstən/. 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 "tungsten"?
Borrowed from Swedish tungsten (“scheelite”), from tung (“heavy”) + sten (“stone”). 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 “tungsten”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is T-U-N-G-S-T-E-N - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈtʌŋstən/ (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

Same frequency band

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