monocle

\mɔ.nɔkl\

/\mɔ.nɔkl\/ noun

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

The verdict

“monocle” is an uncommon French word, ranked #63,935 in French word frequency and used as a noun.

#63,935
frequency rank, French
7
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Petit verre d’optique qui se place dans l’arcade sourcilière.

Key facts for monocle
PropertyValue
Headwordmonocle
LanguageFrench
Part of speechNoun
IPA\mɔ.nɔkl\
Letters7
Frequency rank#63,935
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “monocle” 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). monocle 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 monocle is 7 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as \mɔ.nɔkl\. Corpus data places it at rank #63,935 in overall French word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 3 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Zero misspellings are on record for monocle in our index, and the word's spelling is regular enough that our generator found nothing worth flagging. Our confusable-pair dataset has no match for it, since no other headword is close enough in sound or shape to pair with it.

Wiktionary doesn't record an etymology for this headword, so its spelling pattern is best understood through pronunciation rather than a traceable origin. The correct French form is monocle, spelled M-O-N-O-C-L-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    Petit verre d’optique qui se place dans l’arcade sourcilière.
  2. 2
    Anus.
  3. 3
    N’importe quelle espèce de crustacés du genre Monoculus.

Synonyms

carreau

This word in other languages

monocle(English)monóculo(Español)Augenglas(Deutsch)

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 "monocle"?
"monocle" is spelled M-O-N-O-C-L-E. The IPA pronunciation is \mɔ.nɔkl\.
What does "monocle" mean?
As a noun, "monocle" means: Petit verre d’optique qui se place dans l’arcade sourcilière.
How do you pronounce "monocle"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "monocle" is \mɔ.nɔkl\. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "monocle" come from?
"monocle" 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 “monocle”

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

  • The one correct French spelling is M-O-N-O-C-L-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as \mɔ.nɔkl\ (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.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list