delfín

[d̪elˈfĩn]

/[d̪elˈfĩn]/ noun

The verdict

“delfín” is a moderately-common Spanish word, ranked #16,551 in Spanish word frequency and used as a noun.

#16,551
frequency rank, Spanish
6
letters
9
tracked misspellings
8
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - (familia Delphinidae) Cualquiera de varias especies de mamíferos marinos del orden de los cetáceos. Miden entre 2 y 9 metros de largo, con el cuerpo fusiforme y la cabeza grande, el hocico alargado...

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

delfín vs deli
50% similar
delfín vs Delhi
33% similar
delfín vs Delia
33% similar

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

Key facts for delfín
PropertyValue
Headworddelfín
LanguageSpanish
Part of speechNoun
IPA[d̪elˈfĩn]
Letters6
Frequency rank#16,551
Misspellings tracked9
Confusable pairs8
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “delfín” sits in Spanish 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). delfín 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 Spanish entry for delfín is 6 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as [d̪elˈfĩn]. Corpus data places it at rank #16,551 in overall Spanish word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 3 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 delfín, with forms such as "ddelfín", "deflín", and "delffín". 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 8 confusable-pair relationships, "deli", "Delhi", "Delia", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

No borrowing history is documented for this entry, so its spelling is easiest explained by how it's pronounced rather than where it came from. The correct Spanish form is delfín, spelled D-E-L-F-Í-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    (familia Delphinidae) Cualquiera de varias especies de mamíferos marinos del orden de los cetáceos. Miden entre 2 y 9 metros de largo, con el cuerpo fusiforme y la cabeza grande, el hocico alargado y una única narina en la parte superior de la cabeza; la piel es normalmente gris y glabra. Son carnívoros. Se cuentan entre los más inteligentes de los animales, formando complejos sistemas sociales y comunicándose por ultrasonido. Habitan en aguas templadas y tropicales de todo el globo.
  2. 2
    Vehículo de transporte público colectivo.
  3. 3
    Estilo de natación en que el practicante se impulsa mediante la vigorosa ondulación del cuerpo, a la vez que avanza los brazos en círculos por encima de la espalda al recoger y junto al pecho al impulsarse.

Synonyms

This word in other languages

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: ddelfín,deflín,delffín,delfní,delfínn,dellfín,delífn,dlefín,edlfín

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

ddelfín1deflín2delffín1delfní2delfínn1dellfín1delífn2dlefín2
Edit distance from "delfín"

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 Spanish corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "delfín"?
"delfín" is spelled D-E-L-F-Í-N. The IPA pronunciation is [d̪elˈfĩn].
What does "delfín" mean?
As a noun, "delfín" means: (familia Delphinidae) Cualquiera de varias especies de mamíferos marinos del orden de los cetáceos. Miden entre 2 y 9 metros de largo, con el cuerpo fusiforme y la cabeza grande, el hocico alargado...
What words are commonly confused with "delfín"?
"delfín" is commonly confused with "deli", "Delhi", "Delia". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "delfín"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "delfín" is [d̪elˈfĩn]. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "delfín" come from?
"delfín" is a Spanish word. PlainSpell's reference spans five languages -- English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and German -- with definitions, pronunciations, and spelling data for each.
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 “delfín”

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

  • The one correct Spanish spelling is D-E-L-F-Í-N - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as [d̪elˈfĩn] (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “deli” - see the side-by-side comparison. delfín vs deli
  • Browse more Spanish words and confusable pairs in the same reference. Spanish 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