hymen

\i.mɛn\

/\i.mɛn\/ noun

The verdict

“hymen” is a moderately-common French word, ranked #37,371 in French word frequency and used as a noun.

#37,371
frequency rank, French
5
letters
7
tracked misspellings
16
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Membrane qui obstrue partiellement le vagin des nouveau-nés de sexe féminin.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

hymen vs hype
60% similar
hymen vs hymne
60% similar
hymen vs hymnes
67% similar

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

Key facts for hymen
PropertyValue
Headwordhymen
LanguageFrench
Part of speechNoun
IPA\i.mɛn\
Letters5
Frequency rank#37,371
Misspellings tracked7
Confusable pairs16
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “hymen” 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). hymen 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 hymen is 5 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as \i.mɛn\. Corpus data places it at rank #37,371 in overall French word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 2 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 7 likely wrong-spelling variants for hymen, with forms such as "hhymen", "hmyen", and "hyemn". 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 16 confusable-pair relationships, "hype", "hymne", "hymnes", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

No explicit etymology string is stored for this entry, so its spelling is easiest explained by how it's pronounced rather than where it came from. The correct French form is hymen, spelled H-Y-M-E-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    Membrane qui obstrue partiellement le vagin des nouveau-nés de sexe féminin.
  2. 2
    Pellicule de la corolle d’une fleur.

Synonyms

This word in other languages

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: hhymen,hmyen,hyemn,hymenn,hymmen,hyymen,yhmen

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

hhymen1hmyen2hyemn2hymenn1hymmen1hyymen1yhmen2
Edit distance from "hymen"

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 "hymen"?
"hymen" is spelled H-Y-M-E-N. The IPA pronunciation is \i.mɛn\.
What does "hymen" mean?
As a noun, "hymen" means: Membrane qui obstrue partiellement le vagin des nouveau-nés de sexe féminin.
What words are commonly confused with "hymen"?
"hymen" is commonly confused with "hype", "hymne", "hymnes". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "hymen"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "hymen" is \i.mɛn\. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "hymen" come from?
"hymen" 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 “hymen”

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

  • The one correct French spelling is H-Y-M-E-N - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as \i.mɛn\ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “hype” - see the side-by-side comparison. hymen vs hype
  • 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