blackout

\bla.ka.ut\

/\bla.ka.ut\/ noun

The verdict

“blackout” is a moderately-common French word, ranked #43,809 in French word frequency and used as a noun.

#43,809
frequency rank, French
8
letters
12
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Panne généralisée, coupure de courant électrique à grande échelle.

Key facts for blackout
PropertyValue
Headwordblackout
LanguageFrench
Part of speechNoun
IPA\bla.ka.ut\
Letters8
Frequency rank#43,809
Misspellings tracked12
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “blackout” 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). blackout 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 blackout is 8 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as \bla.ka.ut\. Corpus data places it at rank #43,809 in overall French word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 5 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 12 likely wrong-spelling variants for blackout, with forms such as "balckout", "bblackout", and "blacckout". 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. This entry stands alone in our confusable dataset, since its spelling is unusual enough that it doesn't cluster with a lookalike.

This entry carries no recorded etymology, so its spelling is best read as a straightforward mapping from sound to letter. The correct French form is blackout, spelled B-L-A-C-K-O-U-T.

Definition

  1. 1
    Panne généralisée, coupure de courant électrique à grande échelle.
  2. 2
    En temps de guerre, réduction de l’éclairage ou silence imposé pour protéger un lieu d’une attaque ennemie.
  3. 3
    Perte momentanée de mémoire ou de conscience après avoir consommé un produit psychotrope, alcool ou drogue.
  4. 4
    Silence médiatique sur un sujet.
  5. 5
    Voile noir.

This word in other languages

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: balckout,bblackout,blacckout,blackkout,blackotu,blackoutt,blackuot,blacokut,blakcout,blcakout,bllackout,lbackout

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

balckout2bblackout1blacckout1blackkout1blackotu2blackoutt1blackuot2blacokut2
Edit distance from "blackout"

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 "blackout"?
"blackout" is spelled B-L-A-C-K-O-U-T. The IPA pronunciation is \bla.ka.ut\.
What does "blackout" mean?
As a noun, "blackout" means: Panne généralisée, coupure de courant électrique à grande échelle.
What are common misspellings of "blackout"?
Common misspellings include "balckout", "bblackout", "blacckout", "blackkout", "blackotu". The correct spelling is "blackout".
How do you pronounce "blackout"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "blackout" is \bla.ka.ut\. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "blackout" come from?
"blackout" is a French 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 “blackout”

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

  • The one correct French spelling is B-L-A-C-K-O-U-T - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as \bla.ka.ut\ (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