vignette
/vɪnˈjɛt/
"vignette" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“vignette” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #44,560 in English word frequency and used as a noun.
- #44,560
- frequency rank, English
- 8
- letters
- 10
- tracked misspellings
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A running ornament consisting of leaves and tendrils, used in Gothic architecture.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | vignette |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Noun |
| IPA | /vɪnˈjɛt/ |
| Letters | 8 |
| Frequency rank | #44,560 |
| Misspellings tracked | 10 |
| Confusable pairs | 0 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Where “vignette” sits in English frequency
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
The English entry for vignette is 8 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /vɪnˈjɛt/. Corpus data places it at rank #44,560 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 9 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.
Our generated misspelling index lists 10 likely wrong-spelling variants for vignette, with forms such as "ivgnette", "vginette", and "vigentte". 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. This headword has no recorded confusable partner, since its spelling is unusual enough that it doesn't cluster with a lookalike.
Etymologically, the entry records: First attested in 1751. From French vignette, diminutive of vigne (“vine”), from Latin vīnea, from vīnum (“wine”). Replaced earlier Middle English vynet. The correct English form is vignette, spelled V-I-G-N-E-T-T-E.
Definition
- 1A running ornament consisting of leaves and tendrils, used in Gothic architecture.
- 2A decorative design, originally representing vine branches or tendrils, at the head of a chapter, of a manuscript or printed book, or in a similar position.
- 3Any small borderless picture in a book, especially an engraving, photograph, or the like, which vanishes gradually at the edge.
- 4A short story or anecdote that presents a scene or tableau, or paints a picture.
- 5The central pictorial image on a postage stamp.
- 6The characteristic of a camera lens, either by deficiency in design or by mismatch of the lens with the film format, that produces an image smaller than the film's frame with a crudely focused border. Photographers may deliberately choose this characteristic for a special effect.
- 7Any effect in a photographic picture where qualities vanish towards the edges.
- 8A hardware deficiency (even occurring in most expensive models) of a computer display wherein the picture slants towards a colour or brightness towards the edges especially if viewed from an angle.
- 9A small sticker affixed to a vehicle windscreen to indicate that tolls have been paid.
Etymology
First attested in 1751. From French vignette, diminutive of vigne (“vine”), from Latin vīnea, from vīnum (“wine”). Replaced earlier Middle English vynet.
This word in other languages
Common misspellings
Also misspelled as: ivgnette,vginette,vigentte,viggnette,vignete,vignetet,vignnette,vigntete,vingette,vvignette
Misspelling Pattern Breakdown
How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of vignette - 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.
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 "vignette"?
What does "vignette" mean?
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Using “vignette”
The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.
- The one correct English spelling is V-I-G-N-E-T-T-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
- Say it as /vɪnˈjɛt/ (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
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.