cross

\kʁɔs\

/\kʁɔs\/ noun

The verdict

“cross” is a regularly-used French word, ranked #8,369 in French word frequency and used as a noun.

#8,369
frequency rank, French
5
letters
5
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Sorte de course à pied hors route.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

cross vs CRS
0% similar
cross vs CSS
0% similar
cross vs crus
60% similar

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

Key facts for cross
PropertyValue
Headwordcross
LanguageFrench
Part of speechNoun
IPA\kʁɔs\
Letters5
Frequency rank#8,369
Misspellings tracked5
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “cross” 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). cross 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 cross is 5 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as \kʁɔs\. Corpus data places it at rank #8,369 in overall French word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 2 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 5 likely wrong-spelling variants for cross, with forms such as "ccross", "corss", and "crross". 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, "CRS", "CSS", "crus", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Our source data has no etymology on file for this entry, so spelling patterns must be inferred from the word's phoneme-to-grapheme mapping rather than from a documented borrowing chain. The correct French form is cross, spelled C-R-O-S-S.

Definition

  1. 1
    Sorte de course à pied hors route.
  2. 2
    Coup de poing direct du bras arrière.

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: ccross,corss,crross,crsos,rcoss

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

ccross1corss2crross1crsos2rcoss2
Edit distance from "cross"

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 "cross"?
"cross" is spelled C-R-O-S-S. The IPA pronunciation is \kʁɔs\.
What does "cross" mean?
As a noun, "cross" means: Sorte de course à pied hors route.
What words are commonly confused with "cross"?
"cross" is commonly confused with "CRS", "CSS", "crus". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "cross"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "cross" is \kʁɔs\. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "cross" come from?
"cross" 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 “cross”

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

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