turban

/ˈtɜːbən/

//ˈtɜːbən// noun

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

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

The verdict

“turban” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #31,015 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#31,015
frequency rank, English
6
letters
9
tracked misspellings
12
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A man's headdress made by winding a length of cloth round the head.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

turban vs turn
67% similar
turban vs turbo
67% similar
turban vs Turin
50% similar

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

Key facts for turban
PropertyValue
Headwordturban
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈtɜːbən/
Letters6
Frequency rank#31,015
Misspellings tracked9
Confusable pairs12
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “turban” 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). turban 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 turban is 6 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈtɜːbən/. Corpus data places it at rank #31,015 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 4 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 turban, with forms such as "truban", "tturban", and "tubran". 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 12 confusable-pair relationships, "turn", "turbo", "Turin", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowed from Middle French turbant, from Italian turbante, from Ottoman Turkish دلبند (tülbent), from Classical Persian دلبند (dulband), also the root of tulip. The correct English form is turban, spelled T-U-R-B-A-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    A man's headdress made by winding a length of cloth round the head.
  2. 2
    A woman's close-fitting hat with little or no brim.
  3. 3
    The complete set of whorls of a spiral shell.
  4. 4
    A towel wrapped around long wet hair in a manner resembling a turban.

Etymology

Borrowed from Middle French turbant, from Italian turbante, from Ottoman Turkish دلبند (tülbent), from Classical Persian دلبند (dulband), also the root of tulip.

This word in other languages

turbante(Español)turban(Français)Turban(Deutsch)turbante(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: truban,tturban,tubran,turabn,turbann,turbban,turbna,turrban,utrban

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

truban2tturban1tubran2turabn2turbann1turbban1turbna2turrban1
Edit distance from "turban"

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 "turban"?
"turban" is spelled T-U-R-B-A-N. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈtɜːbən/.
What does "turban" mean?
As a noun, "turban" means: A man's headdress made by winding a length of cloth round the head.
What words are commonly confused with "turban"?
"turban" is commonly confused with "turn", "turbo", "Turin". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "turban"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "turban" is /ˈtɜːbən/. 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 "turban"?
Borrowed from Middle French turbant, from Italian turbante, from Ottoman Turkish دلبند (tülbent), from Classical Persian دلبند (dulband), also the root of tulip. 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 “turban”

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

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