scratch

\skʁatʃ\

/\skʁatʃ\/ noun

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

The verdict

“scratch” is a moderately-common French word, ranked #24,772 in French word frequency and used as a noun.

#24,772
frequency rank, French
7
letters
12
tracked misspellings
1
confusable pair

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Système de classement mixte dans le cyclisme, la course à pied et les sports combinés (triathlon, duathlon...).

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

scratch vs scotch
71% similar

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

Key facts for scratch
PropertyValue
Headwordscratch
LanguageFrench
Part of speechNoun
IPA\skʁatʃ\
Letters7
Frequency rank#24,772
Misspellings tracked12
Confusable pairs1
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “scratch” 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). scratch 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 scratch is 7 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as \skʁatʃ\. Corpus data places it at rank #24,772 in overall French word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 5 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 12 likely wrong-spelling variants for scratch, with forms such as "csratch", "scartch", and "sccratch". 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 1 confusable-pair relationship, "scotch", a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

No borrowing history is documented for this entry, so its spelling is best read as a straightforward mapping from sound to letter. The correct French form is scratch, spelled S-C-R-A-T-C-H.

Definition

  1. 1
    Système de classement mixte dans le cyclisme, la course à pied et les sports combinés (triathlon, duathlon...).
  2. 2
    Ligne de départ d’une course indiquée par une ligne rayant le sol.
  3. 3
    Procédé utilisé en musique, principalement dans le hip hop et la musique industrielle, consistant à faire tourner à la main un disque vinyle sous une tête de lecture de platine vinyle, alternativement en avant et en arrière, de façon à produire un effet sonore, plus aigu ou plus grave.
  4. 4
    Velcro, partie rugueuse permettant la fixation de deux parties amovibles entre elles.
  5. 5
    Système de bonus utilisé dans les jeux vidéo.

This word in other languages

scratch(English)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: csratch,scartch,sccratch,scracth,scratcch,scratchh,scrathc,scrattch,scrratch,scrtach,srcatch,sscratch

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

csratch2scartch2sccratch1scracth2scratcch1scratchh1scrathc2scrattch1
Edit distance from "scratch"

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 "scratch"?
"scratch" is spelled S-C-R-A-T-C-H. The IPA pronunciation is \skʁatʃ\.
What does "scratch" mean?
As a noun, "scratch" means: Système de classement mixte dans le cyclisme, la course à pied et les sports combinés (triathlon, duathlon...).
What words are commonly confused with "scratch"?
"scratch" is commonly confused with "scotch". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "scratch"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "scratch" is \skʁatʃ\. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "scratch" come from?
"scratch" is a French word. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, and spelling data for this and other words across English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and German on PlainSpell.
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 “scratch”

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

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