bouillon

\bu.jɔ̃\

/\bu.jɔ̃\/ noun

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

The verdict

“bouillon” is a moderately-common French word, ranked #10,282 in French word frequency and used as a noun.

#10,282
frequency rank, French
8
letters
9
tracked misspellings
10
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Bulle qui se forme à la surface d’un liquide lorsqu’il bout.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

bouillon vs boulon
75% similar
bouillon vs brouillon
89% similar
bouillon vs brouillons
80% similar

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

Key facts for bouillon
PropertyValue
Headwordbouillon
LanguageFrench
Part of speechNoun
IPA\bu.jɔ̃\
Letters8
Frequency rank#10,282
Misspellings tracked9
Confusable pairs10
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “bouillon” 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). bouillon 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 bouillon is 8 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as \bu.jɔ̃\. Corpus data places it at rank #10,282 in overall French word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 15 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 bouillon, with forms such as "bbouillon", "boiullon", and "bouillno". 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 10 confusable-pair relationships, "boulon", "brouillon", "brouillons", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

This entry's etymology isn't recorded, so its spelling pattern is best understood through pronunciation rather than a traceable origin. The correct French form is bouillon, spelled B-O-U-I-L-L-O-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    Bulle qui se forme à la surface d’un liquide lorsqu’il bout.
  2. 2
    Eau dans laquelle on a fait bouillir de la viande, des légumes, ou des herbes médicinales, pour servir de nourriture ou de remède.
  3. 3
    Liquide fertilisant obtenu par putréfaction de débris végétaux dans l’eau.
  4. 4
    Ondes que forme un liquide, lorsqu’il est agité, lorsqu’il tombe ou jaillit.
  5. 5
    Sang qui sort abondamment d’une blessure ou par la bouche.
  6. 6
    Restaurant où l’on servait surtout du bouillon de bœuf.
  7. 7
    Restaurant où l’on servait surtout du bouillon de bœuf.
  8. 8
    Gros plis ronds qu’on fait à quelques étoffes pour la parure et l’ornement, soit dans les vêtements, soit dans les meubles.
  9. 9
    Fils d’or ou d’argent utilisés en passementerie.
  10. 10
    Exemplaire invendu d’une publication, livre, journal.
  11. 11
    Bulle d’air qui se trouve engagée dans le verre ou dans un métal pendant qu’il est en fusion.
  12. 12
    Évaporation de l’eau salée, dans un appareil de chauffage, pour en précipiter le sel.
  13. 13
    Excroissance charnue qui se forme à côté ou dans une plaie.
  14. 14
    Banc de poissons très serrés (généralement hareng ou sardine), qui provoque comme un bouillonnement en surface.
  15. 15
    Ardeur, impétuosité.

Synonyms

bouillonnement

This word in other languages

broth(English)caldo(Español)Bouillon(Deutsch)caldeirão(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: bbouillon,boiullon,bouillno,bouillonn,bouiloln,bouilon,boulilon,buoillon,obuillon

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

bbouillon1boiullon2bouillno2bouillonn1bouiloln2bouilon1boulilon2buoillon2
Edit distance from "bouillon"

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 "bouillon"?
"bouillon" is spelled B-O-U-I-L-L-O-N. The IPA pronunciation is \bu.jɔ̃\.
What does "bouillon" mean?
As a noun, "bouillon" means: Bulle qui se forme à la surface d’un liquide lorsqu’il bout.
What words are commonly confused with "bouillon"?
"bouillon" is commonly confused with "boulon", "brouillon", "brouillons". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "bouillon"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "bouillon" is \bu.jɔ̃\. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "bouillon" come from?
"bouillon" 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 “bouillon”

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

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