rufo

/ˈRu.fu/

//ˈRu.fu// noun

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

The verdict

“rufo” is an uncommon Portuguese word, ranked #88,589 in Portuguese word frequency and used as a noun.

#88,589
frequency rank, Portuguese
4
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - som trêmulo, produzido pelo tanger de duas baquetas na pele tensa de um tambor ou de um instrumento análogo

Key facts for rufo
PropertyValue
Headwordrufo
LanguagePortuguese
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈRu.fu/
Letters4
Frequency rank#88,589
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “rufo” 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). rufo 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 rufo is 4 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈRu.fu/. Corpus data places it at rank #88,589 in overall Portuguese word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 2 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

rufo has no tracked misspelling variants, typically a sign the spelling maps closely to how the word sounds. This headword has no recorded confusable partner, since nothing in our dataset looks or sounds close enough to cause mix-ups.

This entry's etymology isn't recorded, leaving phoneme-to-grapheme mapping as the best guide to its spelling rather than a borrowing history. The correct Portuguese form is rufo, spelled R-U-F-O.

Definition

  1. 1
    som trêmulo, produzido pelo tanger de duas baquetas na pele tensa de um tambor ou de um instrumento análogo
  2. 2
    som quase semelhante ao do tambor e produzido pelo tanger alternado dos dedos sobre uma superfície sólida

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 "rufo"?
"rufo" is spelled R-U-F-O. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈRu.fu/.
What does "rufo" mean?
As a noun, "rufo" means: som trêmulo, produzido pelo tanger de duas baquetas na pele tensa de um tambor ou de um instrumento análogo
How do you pronounce "rufo"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "rufo" is /ˈRu.fu/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "rufo" come from?
"rufo" is a Portuguese 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 “rufo”

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

  • The one correct Portuguese spelling is R-U-F-O - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈRu.fu/ (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
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