wardrobe

/ˈwɔːdɹəʊb/

//ˈwɔːdɹəʊb// noun

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

The verdict

“wardrobe” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #9,692 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#9,692
frequency rank, English
8
letters
12
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A room for keeping clothes and armor safe, particularly a dressing room or walk-in closet beside a bedroom.

Key facts for wardrobe
PropertyValue
Headwordwardrobe
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈwɔːdɹəʊb/
Letters8
Frequency rank#9,692
Misspellings tracked12
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “wardrobe” 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). wardrobe 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 wardrobe is 8 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈwɔːdɹəʊb/. Corpus data places it at rank #9,692 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 14 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 12 likely wrong-spelling variants for wardrobe, with forms such as "awrdrobe", "wadrrobe", and "warddrobe". 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. 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: From Middle English warderobe, from Old Northern French warderoube, wardereube, northern variants of Old French garderobe, from garder (“to keep safe”) + robe. Subsequently influenced by various senses of garderobe as they developed in French. Doublet of ga… The correct English form is wardrobe, spelled W-A-R-D-R-O-B-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    A room for keeping clothes and armor safe, particularly a dressing room or walk-in closet beside a bedroom.
  2. 2
    A governmental office or department in a monarchy which purchases, keeps, and cares for royal clothes.
  3. 3
    The building housing such a department.
  4. 4
    Any closet used for storing anything.
  5. 5
    A room for keeping costumes and other property safe at a theater; a prop room.
  6. 6
    The department of a theater, movie studio, etc which purchases, keeps, and cares for costumes; its staff; its room(s) or building(s).
  7. 7
    A movable cupboard or cabinet designed for storing clothes, particularly as a large piece of bedroom furniture.
  8. 8
    A tall built-in cupboard or closet for storing clothes, often including a rail for coat-hangers, and usually located in a bedroom.
  9. 9
    Anything that similarly stores or houses something.
  10. 10
    The contents of a wardrobe: an individual's entire collection of clothing.
  11. 11
    Any collection of clothing.
  12. 12
    Any collection of anything.
  13. 13
    A private chamber, particularly one used for sleeping or (euphemistic) urinating and defecating.
  14. 14
    Badger feces, particularly used in tracking game.

Etymology

From Middle English warderobe, from Old Northern French warderoube, wardereube, northern variants of Old French garderobe, from garder (“to keep safe”) + robe. Subsequently influenced by various senses of garderobe as they developed in French. Doublet of garderobe.

Synonyms

This word in other languages

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: awrdrobe,wadrrobe,warddrobe,wardorbe,wardrboe,wardrobbe,wardroeb,wardrrobe,warrdobe,warrdrobe,wradrobe,wwardrobe

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of wardrobe - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

awrdrobe2wadrrobe2warddrobe1wardorbe2wardrboe2wardrobbe1wardroeb2wardrrobe1
Edit distance from "wardrobe"

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 "wardrobe"?
"wardrobe" is spelled W-A-R-D-R-O-B-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈwɔːdɹəʊb/.
What does "wardrobe" mean?
As a noun, "wardrobe" means: A room for keeping clothes and armor safe, particularly a dressing room or walk-in closet beside a bedroom.
What are common misspellings of "wardrobe"?
Common misspellings include "awrdrobe", "wadrrobe", "warddrobe", "wardorbe", "wardrboe". The correct spelling is "wardrobe".
How do you pronounce "wardrobe"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "wardrobe" is /ˈwɔːdɹəʊb/. 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 "wardrobe"?
From Middle English warderobe, from Old Northern French warderoube, wardereube, northern variants of Old French garderobe, from garder (“to keep safe”) + robe. Subsequently influenced by various senses of garderobe as they developed in French. Dou... 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 “wardrobe”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is W-A-R-D-R-O-B-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈwɔːdɹəʊb/ (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.

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list