wonton

/ˈwɑntɑn/

//ˈwɑntɑn// noun

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

The verdict

“wonton” is uncommon English (frequency #73,803 among 12,113 “W” headwords), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#73,803
frequency rank, English
12,113
“W” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A Chinese dumpling, often stuffed with varieties of meat or seafood and vegetables.

Key facts for wonton
PropertyValue
Headwordwonton
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈwɑntɑn/
Letters6
Frequency rank#73,803
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “wonton” 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). wonton lands here:

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

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

Rare enough to double-check

wonton is uncommon English at frequency #73,803 among 12,113 “W” headwords, classed as anoun, transcribed /ˈwɑntɑn/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. Gloss: "A Chinese dumpling, often stuffed with varieties of meat or seafood and vegetables.".

We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for wonton, typically a sign the spelling maps closely to how the word sounds. This headword has no recorded confusable partner, a sign it's visually distinctive enough not to be mixed up with another word.

Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowed from Cantonese 雲吞 /云吞 (wan⁴ tan¹, wan⁴ tan⁴). The correct English form is wonton, spelled W-O-N-T-O-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    A Chinese dumpling, often stuffed with varieties of meat or seafood and vegetables.

Etymology

Borrowed from Cantonese 雲吞 /云吞 (wan⁴ tan¹, wan⁴ tan⁴).

This word in other languages

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 "wonton"?
"wonton" is spelled W-O-N-T-O-N. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈwɑntɑn/.
What does "wonton" mean?
As a noun, "wonton" means: A Chinese dumpling, often stuffed with varieties of meat or seafood and vegetables.
How do you pronounce "wonton"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "wonton" is /ˈwɑntɑn/. 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 "wonton"?
Borrowed from Cantonese 雲吞 /云吞 (wan⁴ tan¹, wan⁴ tan⁴). 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 “wonton”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is W-O-N-T-O-N - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈwɑntɑn/ (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

Other uncommon English words near this rank

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