bones

\bɔ̃.nəs\

/\bɔ̃.nəs\/ adj

The verdict

“bones” is a moderately-common French word, ranked #25,228 in French word frequency and used as an adjective.

#25,228
frequency rank, French
5
letters
6
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Cas sujet féminin pluriel de bon.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

bones vs bos
60% similar
bones vs bons
80% similar
bones vs boss
60% similar

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

Key facts for bones
PropertyValue
Headwordbones
LanguageFrench
Part of speechAdjective
IPA\bɔ̃.nəs\
Letters5
Frequency rank#25,228
Misspellings tracked6
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “bones” 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). bones 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 bones is 5 letters long, classified as an adjective, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as \bɔ̃.nəs\. Corpus data places it at rank #25,228 in overall French word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 2 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 6 likely wrong-spelling variants for bones, with forms such as "bbones", "bnoes", and "boens". 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, "bos", "bons", "boss", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Wiktionary doesn't record an etymology for this headword, so its spelling pattern is best understood through pronunciation rather than a traceable origin. The correct French form is bones, spelled B-O-N-E-S.

Definition

  1. 1
    Cas sujet féminin pluriel de bon.
  2. 2
    Cas régime féminin pluriel de bon.

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: bbones,bnoes,boens,boness,bonse,obnes

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

bbones1bnoes2boens2boness1bonse2obnes2
Edit distance from "bones"

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 "bones"?
"bones" is spelled B-O-N-E-S. The IPA pronunciation is \bɔ̃.nəs\.
What does "bones" mean?
As an adjective, "bones" means: Cas sujet féminin pluriel de bon.
What words are commonly confused with "bones"?
"bones" is commonly confused with "bos", "bons", "boss". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "bones"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "bones" is \bɔ̃.nəs\. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "bones" come from?
"bones" 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 “bones”

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

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