bou

/ˈbɔ̞w/

//ˈbɔ̞w// noun

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

The verdict

“bou” is uncommon Portuguese (frequency #52,002 among 2,073 “B” headwords), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#52,002
frequency rank, Portuguese
2,073
“B” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - boi (Bos taurus)

Key facts for bou
PropertyValue
Headwordbou
LanguagePortuguese
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈbɔ̞w/
Letters3
Frequency rank#52,002
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “bou” sits in Portuguese 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). bou 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

bou is uncommon Portuguese at frequency #52,002 among 2,073 “B” headwords, classed as anoun, transcribed /ˈbɔ̞w/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 6 senses are on record.

No generated misspelling entries exist for bou in our index, suggesting the orthography follows predictable Portuguese patterns. This entry stands alone in our confusable dataset, a sign it's visually distinctive enough not to be mixed up with another word.

No documented word history exists for this headword, so its spelling is easiest explained by how it's pronounced rather than where it came from. The correct Portuguese form is bou, spelled B-O-U.

Definition

  1. 1
    boi (Bos taurus)
  2. 2
    touro, boi que não foi castrado
  3. 3
    carne de boi usada como alimento
  4. 4
    caranguejola (Cancer pagurus)
  5. 5
    arrastão, espécie de redepara pesca
  6. 6
    arrastão, barco que opera tais redes

Synonyms

brautoroart del boubarca del bou

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 Portuguese corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "bou"?
"bou" is spelled B-O-U. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈbɔ̞w/.
What does "bou" mean?
As a noun, "bou" means: boi (Bos taurus)
How do you pronounce "bou"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "bou" is /ˈbɔ̞w/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "bou" come from?
"bou" is a Portuguese 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 “bou”

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

  • The one correct Portuguese spelling is B-O-U - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈbɔ̞w/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more Portuguese words and confusable pairs in the same reference. Portuguese words

Other uncommon Portuguese 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