anchor

/ˈæŋ.kə/

//ˈæŋ.kə// noun

"anchor" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“anchor” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #6,862 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#6,862
frequency rank, English
6
letters
9
tracked misspellings
8
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A tool used to moor a vessel to the bottom of a sea or river to resist movement.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

anchor vs author
67% similar
anchor vs archer
67% similar
anchor vs anyhow
67% similar

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

Key facts for anchor
PropertyValue
Headwordanchor
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈæŋ.kə/
Letters6
Frequency rank#6,862
Misspellings tracked9
Confusable pairs8
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “anchor” sits in English 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). anchor 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 English entry for anchor is 6 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈæŋ.kə/. Corpus data places it at rank #6,862 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 22 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 9 likely wrong-spelling variants for anchor, with forms such as "acnhor", "ancchor", and "anchhor". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. It also participates in 8 confusable-pair relationships, "author", "archer", "anyhow", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₂enk-der.? Ancient Greek ᾰ̓́γκῡρᾰ (ắnkūră)bor.? Latin ancorabor. Proto-Germanic *ankurô Proto-West Germanic *ankurō Old English ancor Middle English anker English anchor From Middle English anker, from Old English ancor,… The correct English form is anchor, spelled A-N-C-H-O-R.

Definition

  1. 1
    A tool used to moor a vessel to the bottom of a sea or river to resist movement.
  2. 2
    An iron device so shaped as to grip the bottom and hold a vessel at her berth by the chain or rope attached.
  3. 3
    The combined anchoring gear (anchor, rode, bill/peak and fittings such as bitts, cat, and windlass.)
  4. 4
    Representation of the nautical tool, used as a heraldic charge.
  5. 5
    Any instrument serving a purpose like that of a ship's anchor, such as an arrangement of timber to hold a dam fast; a device to hold the end of a bridge cable etc.; or a device used in metalworking to hold the core of a mould in place.
  6. 6
    A marked point in a document that can be the target of a hyperlink.
  7. 7
    A line of code in a program which acts as a reference point for further code to be added immediately before or after, usually via copy and paste.
  8. 8
    An anchorman or anchorwoman.
  9. 9
    The final runner in a relay race.
  10. 10
    A point that is touched by the draw hand or string when the bow is fully drawn and ready to shoot.
  11. 11
    A superstore or other facility that serves as a focus to bring customers into an area.
  12. 12
    That which gives stability or security.
  13. 13
    A metal tie holding adjoining parts of a building together.
  14. 14
    A screw anchor.
  15. 15
    Carved work, somewhat resembling an anchor or arrowhead; part of the ornaments of certain mouldings. It is seen in the echinus, or egg-and-anchor (called also egg-and-dart, egg-and-tongue) ornament.
  16. 16
    One of the anchor-shaped spicules of certain sponges.
  17. 17
    One of the calcareous spinules of certain holothurians, as in species of Synapta.
  18. 18
    The thirty-fifth Lenormand card.
  19. 19
    The brake of a vehicle.
  20. 20
    A defensive player, especially one who counters the opposition's best offensive player.
  21. 21
    A batter who remains in for a long time.
  22. 22
    A device for attaching a climber at the top of a climb, such as a chain or ring or a natural feature.

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₂enk-der.? Ancient Greek ᾰ̓́γκῡρᾰ (ắnkūră)bor.? Latin ancorabor. Proto-Germanic *ankurô Proto-West Germanic *ankurō Old English ancor Middle English anker English anchor From Middle English anker, from Old English ancor, ancra, from Latin ancora, from (or cognate with) Ancient Greek ἄγκυρα (ánkura). The modern form is a sixteenth-century modification after the Medieval Latin spelling anchora. Doublet of ancora, anker, angora, and Ankara.

This word in other languages

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: acnhor,ancchor,anchhor,anchorr,anchro,ancohr,anhcor,annchor,nachor

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of anchor - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

acnhor2ancchor1anchhor1anchorr1anchro2ancohr2anhcor2annchor1
Edit distance from "anchor"

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

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "anchor"?
"anchor" is spelled A-N-C-H-O-R. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈæŋ.kə/.
What does "anchor" mean?
As a noun, "anchor" means: A tool used to moor a vessel to the bottom of a sea or river to resist movement.
What words are commonly confused with "anchor"?
"anchor" is commonly confused with "author", "archer", "anyhow". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "anchor"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "anchor" is /ˈæŋ.kə/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "anchor"?
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₂enk-der.? Ancient Greek ᾰ̓́γκῡρᾰ (ắnkūră)bor.? Latin ancorabor. Proto-Germanic *ankurô Proto-West Germanic *ankurō Old English ancor Middle English anker English anchor From Middle English anker, from Old Engl... See the full etymology section above for more details.
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 “anchor”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is A-N-C-H-O-R - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈæŋ.kə/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “author” - see the side-by-side comparison. anchor vs author
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English 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