blue

\ˈblu\

/\ˈblu\/ adj

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

The verdict

“blue” is a regularly-used French word, ranked #5,526 in French word frequency and used as an adjective.

#5,526
frequency rank, French
4
letters
4
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Bleu.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

blue vs bu
50% similar
blue vs but
50% similar
blue vs bus
50% similar

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

Key facts for blue
PropertyValue
Headwordblue
LanguageFrench
Part of speechAdjective
IPA\ˈblu\
Letters4
Frequency rank#5,526
Misspellings tracked4
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “blue” 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). blue 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 blue is 4 letters long, classified as an adjective, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as \ˈblu\. Corpus data places it at rank #5,526 in overall French word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 6 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 4 likely wrong-spelling variants for blue, with forms such as "bblue", "bllue", and "bule". 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. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "bu", "but", "bus", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Wiktionary doesn't record an etymology for this headword, leaving phoneme-to-grapheme mapping as the best guide to its spelling rather than a borrowing history. The correct French form is blue, spelled B-L-U-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    Bleu.
  2. 2
    Triste ou déprimé.
  3. 3
    Porno.
  4. 4
    Très froid.
  5. 5
    Qui supporte le parti démocrate.
  6. 6
    Qui supporte le parti conservateur.

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: bblue,bllue,bule,lbue

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of blue - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

bblue1bllue1bule2lbue2
Edit distance from "blue"

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 "blue"?
"blue" is spelled B-L-U-E. The IPA pronunciation is \ˈblu\.
What does "blue" mean?
As an adjective, "blue" means: Bleu.
What words are commonly confused with "blue"?
"blue" is commonly confused with "bu", "but", "bus". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "blue"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "blue" is \ˈblu\. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "blue" come from?
"blue" 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 “blue”

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

  • The one correct French spelling is B-L-U-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as \ˈblu\ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “bu” - see the side-by-side comparison. blue vs bu
  • 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