Ulster

/ˈʌlstəɹ/

//ˈʌlstəɹ// name

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

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

The verdict

“Ulster” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #14,041 in English word frequency and used as a proper noun.

#14,041
frequency rank, English
6
letters
8
tracked misspellings
4
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - The northern province of Ireland, made up of all six Northern Irish counties and three counties in the Republic of Ireland.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

Ulster vs user
50% similar
Ulster vs utter
50% similar
Ulster vs usher
50% similar

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

Key facts for Ulster
PropertyValue
HeadwordUlster
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechProper noun
IPA/ˈʌlstəɹ/
Letters6
Frequency rank#14,041
Misspellings tracked8
Confusable pairs4
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “Ulster” 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). Ulster 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 Ulster is 6 letters long, classified as a proper noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈʌlstəɹ/. Corpus data places it at rank #14,041 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 6 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 8 likely wrong-spelling variants for Ulster, with forms such as "ullster", "ulsetr", and "ulsster". 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 4 confusable-pair relationships, "user", "utter", "usher", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: Possibly from Old Norse Uladztir, itself from Old Irish Ulaid (“Ulstermen”). More at Ulster. The correct English form is Ulster, spelled U-L-S-T-E-R.

Definition

  1. 1
    The northern province of Ireland, made up of all six Northern Irish counties and three counties in the Republic of Ireland.
  2. 2
    The six counties that make up Northern Ireland.
  3. 3
    A county named after the Irish province in New York State: see Ulster County.
  4. 4
    A township in Floyd County, Iowa, United States.
  5. 5
    A town in Ulster County, New York, United States.
  6. 6
    A township in Bradford County, Pennsylvania, United States.

Etymology

Possibly from Old Norse Uladztir, itself from Old Irish Ulaid (“Ulstermen”). More at Ulster.

This word in other languages

Ulster(Deutsch)Úlster(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: ullster,ulsetr,ulsster,ulsterr,ulstre,ulstter,ultser,uslter

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

ullster1ulsetr2ulsster1ulsterr1ulstre2ulstter1ultser2uslter2
Edit distance from "Ulster"

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 "Ulster"?
"Ulster" is spelled U-L-S-T-E-R. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈʌlstəɹ/.
What does "Ulster" mean?
As a proper noun, "Ulster" means: The northern province of Ireland, made up of all six Northern Irish counties and three counties in the Republic of Ireland.
What words are commonly confused with "Ulster"?
"Ulster" is commonly confused with "user", "utter", "usher". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "Ulster"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "Ulster" is /ˈʌlstəɹ/. 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 "Ulster"?
Possibly from Old Norse Uladztir, itself from Old Irish Ulaid (“Ulstermen”). More at Ulster. 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 “Ulster”

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

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