poum

\pum\

/\pum\/ onomatopoeia

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

The verdict

“poum” is uncommon French (frequency #57,516 among 248,534 “P” headwords), classed as an onomatopoeia. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#57,516
frequency rank, French
248,534
“P” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Utilisé surtout par les enfants pour imiter un bruit d’explosion.

Key facts for poum
PropertyValue
Headwordpoum
LanguageFrench
Part of speechOnomatopoeia
IPA\pum\
Letters4
Frequency rank#57,516
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “poum” 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). poum lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

poum is uncommon French at frequency #57,516 among 248,534 “P” headwords, classed as anonomatopoeia, transcribed \pum\. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 2 senses are on record.

Zero misspellings are on record for poum in our index, since its letter pattern doesn't lend itself to common typo substitutions. This headword has no recorded confusable partner, since its spelling is unusual enough that it doesn't cluster with a lookalike.

Our source data has no etymology on file for this entry, so its spelling pattern is best understood through pronunciation rather than a traceable origin. The correct French form is poum, spelled P-O-U-M.

Definition

  1. 1
    Utilisé surtout par les enfants pour imiter un bruit d’explosion.
  2. 2
    Utilisé pour imiter le bruit d’un choc fort et sourd, comme celui d’un tambour.

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 "poum"?
"poum" is spelled P-O-U-M. The IPA pronunciation is \pum\.
What does "poum" mean?
As an onomatopoeia, "poum" means: Utilisé surtout par les enfants pour imiter un bruit d’explosion.
How do you pronounce "poum"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "poum" is \pum\. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "poum" come from?
"poum" is a French word. PlainSpell's reference spans five languages -- English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and German -- with definitions, pronunciations, and spelling data for each.
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 “poum”

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

  • The one correct French spelling is P-O-U-M - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as \pum\ (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

Other uncommon French words near this rank

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