aplomb

\a.plɔ̃\

/\a.plɔ̃\/ noun

The verdict

“aplomb” is a moderately-common French word, ranked #21,527 in French word frequency and used as a noun.

#21,527
frequency rank, French
6
letters
9
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Ligne perpendiculaire au plan de l’horizon indiquée par le fil à plomb.

Key facts for aplomb
PropertyValue
Headwordaplomb
LanguageFrench
Part of speechNoun
IPA\a.plɔ̃\
Letters6
Frequency rank#21,527
Misspellings tracked9
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “aplomb” sits in French 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). aplomb 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 French entry for aplomb is 6 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as \a.plɔ̃\. Corpus data places it at rank #21,527 in overall French word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 6 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 aplomb, with forms such as "alpomb", "apllomb", and "aplmob". 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. No confusable counterpart is on file for this word, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.

This headword's origin isn't recorded in our source data, so spelling patterns must be inferred from the word's phoneme-to-grapheme mapping rather than from a documented borrowing chain. The correct French form is aplomb, spelled A-P-L-O-M-B.

Definition

  1. 1
    Ligne perpendiculaire au plan de l’horizon indiquée par le fil à plomb.
  2. 2
    Équilibre, stabilité d’un corps solide résultant de l’utilisation du fil à plomb.
  3. 3
    Juste pondération des figures.
  4. 4
    Équilibre des parties du corps.
  5. 5
    Précision de la rectitude de la mesure.
  6. 6
    Certaine assurance dans la manière de se présenter, de parler, d’agir.

This word in other languages

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: alpomb,apllomb,aplmob,aplobm,aplombb,aplommb,apolmb,applomb,palomb

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

alpomb2apllomb1aplmob2aplobm2aplombb1aplommb1apolmb2applomb1
Edit distance from "aplomb"

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

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "aplomb"?
"aplomb" is spelled A-P-L-O-M-B. The IPA pronunciation is \a.plɔ̃\.
What does "aplomb" mean?
As a noun, "aplomb" means: Ligne perpendiculaire au plan de l’horizon indiquée par le fil à plomb.
What are common misspellings of "aplomb"?
Common misspellings include "alpomb", "apllomb", "aplmob", "aplobm", "aplombb". The correct spelling is "aplomb".
How do you pronounce "aplomb"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "aplomb" is \a.plɔ̃\. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "aplomb" come from?
"aplomb" is a French word. PlainSpell covers definitions, pronunciations, and spelling data across English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and German.
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 “aplomb”

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

  • The one correct French spelling is A-P-L-O-M-B - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as \a.plɔ̃\ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more French words and confusable pairs in the same reference. French 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