champion

\ʃɑ̃.pjɔ̃\

/\ʃɑ̃.pjɔ̃\/ noun

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

The verdict

“champion” is a regularly-used French word, ranked #1,903 in French word frequency and used as a noun.

#1,903
frequency rank, French
8
letters
12
tracked misspellings
7
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Autrefois, celui qui livrait en champ clos un combat judiciaire, pour son compte ou celui d'une autre personne.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

champion vs champions
89% similar
champion vs championne
80% similar
champion vs camion
75% similar

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

Key facts for champion
PropertyValue
Headwordchampion
LanguageFrench
Part of speechNoun
IPA\ʃɑ̃.pjɔ̃\
Letters8
Frequency rank#1,903
Misspellings tracked12
Confusable pairs7
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “champion” 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). champion 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 champion is 8 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as \ʃɑ̃.pjɔ̃\. Corpus data places it at rank #1,903 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 12 likely wrong-spelling variants for champion, with forms such as "cahmpion", "cchampion", and "chamipon". 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 7 confusable-pair relationships, "champions", "championne", "camion", 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 champion, spelled C-H-A-M-P-I-O-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    Autrefois, celui qui livrait en champ clos un combat judiciaire, pour son compte ou celui d'une autre personne.
  2. 2
    Défenseur, combattant.
  3. 3
    Athlète qui, dans une compétition, a remporté la première place.
  4. 4
    Sportif qui excelle dans sa discipline.
  5. 5
    Personne idiote ou stupide ; utilisé ironiquement pour apostropher une personne dont on se moque.
  6. 6
    Meuble représentant un combattant à pied dans les armoiries. Il est généralement représenté en armure et armé. Son équipement doit être blasonné. À rapprocher de chevalier, chevalier du Temple et templier.

Synonyms

dieu du stade

This word in other languages

champion(English)adalid(Español)Kämpfer(Deutsch)defensor(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: cahmpion,cchampion,chamipon,chammpion,champino,championn,champoin,champpion,chapmion,chhampion,chmapion,hcampion

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

cahmpion2cchampion1chamipon2chammpion1champino2championn1champoin2champpion1
Edit distance from "champion"

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 "champion"?
"champion" is spelled C-H-A-M-P-I-O-N. The IPA pronunciation is \ʃɑ̃.pjɔ̃\.
What does "champion" mean?
As a noun, "champion" means: Autrefois, celui qui livrait en champ clos un combat judiciaire, pour son compte ou celui d'une autre personne.
What words are commonly confused with "champion"?
"champion" is commonly confused with "champions", "championne", "camion". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "champion"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "champion" is \ʃɑ̃.pjɔ̃\. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "champion" come from?
"champion" 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 “champion”

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

  • The one correct French spelling is C-H-A-M-P-I-O-N - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as \ʃɑ̃.pjɔ̃\ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “champions” - see the side-by-side comparison. champion vs champions
  • 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