avalanche

\a.va.lɑ̃ʃ\

/\a.va.lɑ̃ʃ\/ noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

The verdict

“avalanche” has 13 generated spelling variants in the French index at frequency #14,859. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#14,859
frequency rank, French
424,905
“A” headwords
13
tracked misspellings
1
confusable pair

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Masse considérable de neige qui se détache du sommet des hautes montagnes et s’écoule parfois jusque dans les vallées. Ce peut être aussi le mouvement de cette masse de neige.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

avalanche vs avalanches
90% similar

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

Key facts for avalanche
PropertyValue
Headwordavalanche
LanguageFrench
Part of speechNoun
IPA\a.va.lɑ̃ʃ\
Letters9
Frequency rank#14,859
Misspellings tracked13
Confusable pairs1
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “avalanche” 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). avalanche lands here:

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

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

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 13 spelling variants around avalanche (IPA \a.va.lɑ̃ʃ\), anoun. Corpus frequency is #14,859 among 424,905 “A” headwords. Wiktionary lists 5 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 13 likely wrong-spelling variants for avalanche, with forms such as "aavlanche", "avaalnche", and "avalacnhe". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 1 confusable-pair relationship, "avalanches", 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 is best read as a straightforward mapping from sound to letter. The correct French form is avalanche, spelled A-V-A-L-A-N-C-H-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    Masse considérable de neige qui se détache du sommet des hautes montagnes et s’écoule parfois jusque dans les vallées. Ce peut être aussi le mouvement de cette masse de neige.
  2. 2
    Masse importante d’une chose qui tombe sur quelque chose ou quelqu’un.
  3. 3
    Masse importante d’une chose qui tombe sur quelque chose ou quelqu’un.
  4. 4
    Flux important de choses.
  5. 5
    Série de choses, d’évènements indésirables qui arrive tout à coup.

This word in other languages

avalanche(English)alud(Español)Lawine(Deutsch)avalanche(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • aavlanche
  • avaalnche
  • avalacnhe
  • avalancche
  • avalanceh
  • avalanchhe
  • avalanhce
  • avalannche
  • avallanche
  • avalnache
  • avlaanche
  • avvalanche
  • vaalanche

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

aavlanche2avaalnche2avalacnhe2avalancche1avalanceh2avalanchhe1avalanhce2avalannche1
Edit distance from "avalanche"

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 "avalanche"?
"avalanche" is spelled A-V-A-L-A-N-C-H-E. The IPA pronunciation is \a.va.lɑ̃ʃ\.
What does "avalanche" mean?
As a noun, "avalanche" means: Masse considérable de neige qui se détache du sommet des hautes montagnes et s’écoule parfois jusque dans les vallées. Ce peut être aussi le mouvement de cette masse de neige.
What words are commonly confused with "avalanche"?
"avalanche" is commonly confused with "avalanches". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "avalanche"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "avalanche" is \a.va.lɑ̃ʃ\. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "avalanche" come from?
"avalanche" is a French 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 “avalanche”

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

  • The one correct French spelling is A-V-A-L-A-N-C-H-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as \a.va.lɑ̃ʃ\ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “avalanches” - see the side-by-side comparison. avalanche vs avalanches
  • Browse more French words and confusable pairs in the same reference. French words

Same frequency band

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