gueule de bois
\ɡœl də bwa\
The verdict
“gueule de bois” is outside the top-ranked French vocabulary, used as a noun - the kind of word writers most often double-check.
- Unranked
- below top-frequency French
- 14
- letters
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Malaises matinaux (mal de tête, vertiges, etc.) dus à un abus d’alcool.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | gueule de bois |
| Language | French |
| Part of speech | Noun |
| IPA | \ɡœl də bwa\ |
| Letters | 14 |
| Misspellings tracked | 0 |
| Confusable pairs | 0 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Where “gueule de bois” sits in French frequency
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
The French entry for gueule de bois is 14 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as \ɡœl də bwa\. It sits outside the most-frequent rank tiers, which is often why uncommon words generate more spelling variants per reader. Wiktionary records 2 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.
gueule de bois has no tracked misspelling variants, which points to an orthography that plays by predictable French rules. This headword has no recorded confusable partner, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.
No borrowing history is documented for this entry, so its spelling pattern is best understood through pronunciation rather than a traceable origin. The correct French form is gueule de bois, spelled G-U-E-U-L-E- -D-E- -B-O-I-S.
Definition
- 1Malaises matinaux (mal de tête, vertiges, etc.) dus à un abus d’alcool.
- 2Désenchantement douloureux après une période d'excès.
Synonyms
This word in other languages
Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Using “gueule de bois”
The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.
- The one correct French spelling is G-U-E-U-L-E- -D-E- -B-O-I-S - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
- Say it as \ɡœl də bwa\ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
- 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.