ashlar

/ˈæʃlə/

//ˈæʃlə// noun

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

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

The verdict

“ashlar” is uncommon English (frequency #96,749 among 3,931 “A” headwords), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#96,749
frequency rank, English
3,931
“A” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - Masonry employing flat and well-squared stone or brick, creating an appearance similar to wooden flooring.

Corpus desk

Index EN-ashlar · ashlar · English

ashlar · rank #96,749 · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-RARE #96,749
  • LEN-LONG 6 letters
  • VOW-2 2 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-MID 3,931
  • PHOTO-FINISH asci

Nearest frequency peer: asci (-2 rank slots)

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.

Long-tail ranks near “ashlar”

Sparse band: bars invert rank so rarer forms read shorter

corpus weight

What this shows Long-tail view: where “ashlar” sits against similarly uncommon English ranks.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for ashlar
PropertyValue
Headwordashlar
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈæʃlə/
Letters6
Frequency rank#96,749
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “ashlar” in English

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right).ashlarfalls in this rarity band:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Ticks step logarithmically, so each one marks a roughly tenfold drop in how often the word turns up. Rare peers in the same band: “asci” (#96,747), “astronautical” (#96,751), “Audrina” (#96,752). Among 3,931 “A” headwords, “ashlar” is #96,749. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

ashlar is uncommon English at frequency #96,749 among 3,931 “A” headwords, classed as anoun, transcribed /ˈæʃlə/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 3 senses are on record.

ashlar has no tracked misspelling variants, since its letter sequence doesn't invite the usual edit-distance slips. No confusable counterpart is on file for this word, since its spelling is unusual enough that it doesn't cluster with a lookalike.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English assheler, acheler, etc., from forms of Old French esselier (“wooden support, traverse beam”), from Medieval Latin ascelāris and assellāris (equivalent to a diminutive of early forms of ais (“plank”)), variant of *axillāris (attested only… The correct English form is ashlar, spelled A-S-H-L-A-R.

Definition

  1. 1
    Masonry employing flat and well-squared stone or brick, creating an appearance similar to wooden flooring.
  2. 2
    Stone hewn and finished to create such masonry, either completely or as a facade over an earthen or rubble core.
  3. 3
    A stone intended for hurling by means of a catapult or similar device.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how ashlar appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. The four main spans across the waterway are carried on ashlar piers founded on Memel timber piles.
  2. Even as I babbled, Jock's massy frame filled the doorway, his ill-hewn ashlar head weaving from side to side, eyes blinking at the light.

Etymology

From Middle English assheler, acheler, etc., from forms of Old French esselier (“wooden support, traverse beam”), from Medieval Latin ascelāris and assellāris (equivalent to a diminutive of early forms of ais (“plank”)), variant of *axillāris (attested only after the Renaissance), from Latin axilla (“little plank”) + -āris (“-ary: forming adjectives”), from axis (“axle, plank”) + -illa (“-ella: forming diminutives”).

This word in other languages

sillar(Español)pierre de taille(Français)Quaderstein(Deutsch)cantaria(Português)

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 "ashlar"?
"ashlar" is spelled A-S-H-L-A-R. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈæʃlə/.
What does "ashlar" mean?
As a noun, "ashlar" means: Masonry employing flat and well-squared stone or brick, creating an appearance similar to wooden flooring.
How do you pronounce "ashlar"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "ashlar" is /ˈæʃlə/. 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 "ashlar"?
From Middle English assheler, acheler, etc., from forms of Old French esselier (“wooden support, traverse beam”), from Medieval Latin ascelāris and assellāris (equivalent to a diminutive of early forms of ais (“plank”)), variant of *axillāris (att... 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.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "ashlar", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 6 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

armful#96,745aristo#96,744Aparna#96,736barbel#96,763

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list