anticlockwise

/ˌæn.tiˈklɒk.waɪz/

//ˌæn.tiˈklɒk.waɪz// adj

"anticlockwise" is a 13-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“anticlockwise” is uncommon English (outside the top frequency list), classed as an adjective. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

Unranked
below top-frequency English
13
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - In a circular fashion so as to be moving to the left at the top of the circle and to the right at the bottom (when viewed from the front), in the opposite direction to the hands of an analog clock.

Corpus desk

Index EN-anticlockwise · anticlockwise · English

anticlockwise · unranked · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-UNRANKED Unranked
  • LEN-MEGA 13 letters
  • VOW-5 5 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-THIN "A" thin
  • PHOTO-UNK Peer pending

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Key facts for anticlockwise
PropertyValue
Headwordanticlockwise
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ˌæn.tiˈklɒk.waɪz/
Letters13
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “anticlockwise” in English

anticlockwisefalls outside the top-100,000 ranked English words, the long-tail zone of technical, archaic, or low-frequency vocabulary, exactly where readers second-guess spellings most.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

anticlockwise is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as anadjective, transcribed /ˌæn.tiˈklɒk.waɪz/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. Gloss: "In a circular fashion so as to be moving to the left at the top of the circle and to the right at the bottom (when viewed from the front), in the opposite direction to the hands of an analog clock.".

anticlockwise doesn't appear in our generated misspelling index, typically a sign the spelling maps closely to how the word sounds. Our dataset records no confusable match here, suggesting its spelling stands apart enough that readers rarely confuse it with something else.

Etymologically, the entry records: From anti- + clockwise. The correct English form is anticlockwise, spelled A-N-T-I-C-L-O-C-K-W-I-S-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    In a circular fashion so as to be moving to the left at the top of the circle and to the right at the bottom (when viewed from the front), in the opposite direction to the hands of an analog clock.

Etymology

From anti- + clockwise.

Synonyms

counterclockwisecounter-clockwiselaevorotatorylevorotatorypositive

Antonyms

This word in other languages

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "anticlockwise"?
"anticlockwise" is spelled A-N-T-I-C-L-O-C-K-W-I-S-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˌæn.tiˈklɒk.waɪz/.
What does "anticlockwise" mean?
As an adjective, "anticlockwise" means: In a circular fashion so as to be moving to the left at the top of the circle and to the right at the bottom (when viewed from the front), in the opposite direction to the hands of an analog clock.
How do you pronounce "anticlockwise"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "anticlockwise" is /ˌæn.tiˈklɒk.waɪz/. 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 "anticlockwise"?
From anti- + clockwise. 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.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list