boule

\bul\

/\bul\/ noun

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

The verdict

“boule” is a regularly-used French word, ranked #4,648 in French word frequency and used as a noun.

#4,648
frequency rank, French
5
letters
6
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Corps rond en tous sens, généralement plein. — Note d’usage : Se dit surtout des objets dont les dimensions leur permettent d’être tenus en main.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

boule vs bue
60% similar
boule vs bout
60% similar
boule vs boxe
60% similar

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

Key facts for boule
PropertyValue
Headwordboule
LanguageFrench
Part of speechNoun
IPA\bul\
Letters5
Frequency rank#4,648
Misspellings tracked6
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “boule” 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). boule 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 boule is 5 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as \bul\. Corpus data places it at rank #4,648 in overall French word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 24 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 boule, with forms such as "bboule", "bolue", and "bouel". 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 20 confusable-pair relationships, "bue", "bout", "boxe", 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 is best read as a straightforward mapping from sound to letter. The correct French form is boule, spelled B-O-U-L-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    Corps rond en tous sens, généralement plein. — Note d’usage : Se dit surtout des objets dont les dimensions leur permettent d’être tenus en main.
  2. 2
    Objet sphérique servant à jouer.
  3. 3
    Noms de plusieurs sports comme la pétanque ou la boule lyonnaise, dont le but consiste à envoyer des boules le plus près possible d’un endroit bien déterminé.
  4. 4
    Jeu de casino.
  5. 5
    Pain de forme ronde.
  6. 6
    Tête.
  7. 7
    Testicule.
  8. 8
    Intérieur d’une sphère.
  9. 9
    Objet d’équilibre de la pratique circassienne.
  10. 10
    Bonbon, friandise.
  11. 11
    Meuble en forme de disque, normalement représenté ombré, pour la distinguer du besant ou du tourteau.
  12. 12
    Ornement de forme sphérique ou ovoïde.
  13. 13
    La Terre.
  14. 14
    Cylindre de grès ou de métal dans lequel on mettait de l’eau chaude pour se réchauffer les pieds.
  15. 15
    Enclume du chaudronnier.
  16. 16
    Masse de fer dont l’orfèvre se sert pour planer.
  17. 17
    Outil de l’opticien pour façonner les verres concaves.
  18. 18
    Rouleau dont le carrier se sert pour transporter de grosses pierres.
  19. 19
    Boules qui, suivant leur couleur blanche ou noire, étaient favorables ou défavorables dans certains jeux, dans certains examens ou lors de certaines élections. Le terme est encore d’usage dans le contexte de la procédure d’admission de candidats en Franc-Maçonnerie.
  20. 20
    En guise de compliment.
  21. 21
    Sein d’une femme.
  22. 22
    Nom générique d’unité monétaire.
  23. 23
    Balle.
  24. 24
    Récipient sphérique contenant de l’eau chaude, destiné à réchauffer les pieds ; bouillote.

This word in other languages

ball(English)bola(Español)Ball(Deutsch)bola(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: bboule,bolue,bouel,boulle,buole,obule

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

bboule1bolue2bouel2boulle1buole2obule2
Edit distance from "boule"

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 "boule"?
"boule" is spelled B-O-U-L-E. The IPA pronunciation is \bul\.
What does "boule" mean?
As a noun, "boule" means: Corps rond en tous sens, généralement plein. — Note d’usage : Se dit surtout des objets dont les dimensions leur permettent d’être tenus en main.
What words are commonly confused with "boule"?
"boule" is commonly confused with "bue", "bout", "boxe". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "boule"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "boule" is \bul\. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "boule" come from?
"boule" 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 “boule”

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

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