mesmo

/ˈmeʒ.mu/

//ˈmeʒ.mu// adj

The verdict

“mesmo” is in the everyday core of Portuguese, ranked #56 in Portuguese word frequency and used as an adjective.

#56
frequency rank, Portuguese
5
letters
7
tracked misspellings
18
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - que tem igualdade de caráter

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

mesmo vs mimo
60% similar
mesmo vs muso
60% similar
mesmo vs metro
60% similar

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

Key facts for mesmo
PropertyValue
Headwordmesmo
LanguagePortuguese
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ˈmeʒ.mu/
Letters5
Frequency rank#56
Misspellings tracked7
Confusable pairs18
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “mesmo” 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). mesmo 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 Portuguese entry for mesmo is 5 letters long, classified as an adjective, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈmeʒ.mu/. Corpus data places it at rank #56 in overall Portuguese word frequency, putting it firmly in the everyday core of the language. 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 mesmo, with forms such as "emsmo", "memso", and "mesmmo". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 18 confusable-pair relationships, "mimo", "muso", "metro", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

No documented word history exists for this headword, so spelling patterns must be inferred from the word's phoneme-to-grapheme mapping rather than from a documented borrowing chain. The correct Portuguese form is mesmo, spelled M-E-S-M-O.

Definition

  1. 1
    que tem igualdade de caráter
  2. 2
    o próprio e não outro

This word in other languages

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: emsmo,memso,mesmmo,mesom,messmo,mmesmo,msemo

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

emsmo2memso2mesmmo1mesom2messmo1mmesmo1msemo2
Edit distance from "mesmo"

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 "mesmo"?
"mesmo" is spelled M-E-S-M-O. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈmeʒ.mu/.
What does "mesmo" mean?
As an adjective, "mesmo" means: que tem igualdade de caráter
What words are commonly confused with "mesmo"?
"mesmo" is commonly confused with "mimo", "muso", "metro". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "mesmo"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "mesmo" is /ˈmeʒ.mu/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "mesmo" come from?
"mesmo" is a Portuguese 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 “mesmo”

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

  • The one correct Portuguese spelling is M-E-S-M-O - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈmeʒ.mu/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “mimo” - see the side-by-side comparison. mesmo vs mimo
  • Browse more Portuguese words and confusable pairs in the same reference. Portuguese 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