polvo

[ˈpolβ̞o]

/[ˈpolβ̞o]/ noun

The verdict

“polvo” is a regularly-used Spanish word, ranked #3,005 in Spanish word frequency and used as a noun.

#3,005
frequency rank, Spanish
5
letters
8
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Cualquier sustancia sólida, en especial tierra, reducida a gránulos de diámetro muy fino.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

polvo vs poo
60% similar
polvo vs pozo
60% similar
polvo vs pomo
60% similar

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

Key facts for polvo
PropertyValue
Headwordpolvo
LanguageSpanish
Part of speechNoun
IPA[ˈpolβ̞o]
Letters5
Frequency rank#3,005
Misspellings tracked8
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “polvo” 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). polvo 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 polvo is 5 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as [ˈpolβ̞o]. Corpus data places it at rank #3,005 in overall Spanish word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 3 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 polvo, with forms such as "oplvo", "plovo", and "polbo". 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 20 confusable-pair relationships, "poo", "pozo", "pomo", and more, since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

This entry's etymology isn't recorded, so its spelling pattern is best understood through pronunciation rather than a traceable origin. The correct Spanish form is polvo, spelled P-O-L-V-O.

Definition

  1. 1
    Cualquier sustancia sólida, en especial tierra, reducida a gránulos de diámetro muy fino.
  2. 2
    Acto sexual, biológicamente funcional a la reproducción de los animales vertebrados, en que entran en contacto los genitales de los participantes.
  3. 3
    Orgasmo.

This word in other languages

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: oplvo,plovo,polbo,pollvo,polov,polvvo,povlo,ppolvo

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

oplvo2plovo2polbo1pollvo1polov2polvvo1povlo2ppolvo1
Edit distance from "polvo"

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 "polvo"?
"polvo" is spelled P-O-L-V-O. The IPA pronunciation is [ˈpolβ̞o].
What does "polvo" mean?
As a noun, "polvo" means: Cualquier sustancia sólida, en especial tierra, reducida a gránulos de diámetro muy fino.
What words are commonly confused with "polvo"?
"polvo" is commonly confused with "poo", "pozo", "pomo". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "polvo"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "polvo" is [ˈpolβ̞o]. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "polvo" come from?
"polvo" is a Spanish word. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, and spelling data for this and other words across English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and German on PlainSpell.
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 “polvo”

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

  • The one correct Spanish spelling is P-O-L-V-O - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as [ˈpolβ̞o] (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “poo” - see the side-by-side comparison. polvo vs poo
  • 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