astern

Name: astern, English Word Data
Creator: Wiktionary
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

/əˈstɝn/

//əˈstɝn// adv

By PlainSpell Editorial Team · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) · analyzed May 6, 2026

The verdict

“astern” is an uncommon English word, ranked #51,548 in English word frequency and used as an adverb.

#51,548
frequency rank, English: 6
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Behind (a vessel); in the rear.

Key facts for astern
Property	Value
Headword	astern
Language	English
Part of speech	Adverb
IPA	/əˈstɝn/
Letters	6
Frequency rank	#51,548
Misspellings tracked	0
Confusable pairs	0
Source	Wiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “astern” 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). astern lands here:

#51,548

#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 astern is 6 letters long, classified as an adverb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /əˈstɝn/. Corpus data places it at rank #51,548 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 3 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

astern doesn't appear in our generated misspelling index, suggesting the orthography follows predictable English patterns. It is not paired with a close-neighbour confusable in our dataset, since no other headword is close enough in sound or shape to pair with it.

Etymologically, the entry records: From a- (“towards”) + stern (“rear part of a vessel”). The correct English form is astern, spelled A-S-T-E-R-N.

Definition

1
Behind (a vessel); in the rear.
2
In the direction of the stern; backward (motion); to the rear.
3
At or toward the rear of a vessel.

Etymology

From a- (“towards”) + stern (“rear part of a vessel”).

Antonyms

ahead

This word in other languages

achtern(Deutsch)

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 "astern"?

"astern" is spelled A-S-T-E-R-N. The IPA pronunciation is /əˈstɝn/.

What does "astern" mean?

As an adverb, "astern" means: Behind (a vessel); in the rear.

How do you pronounce "astern"?

The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "astern" is /əˈstɝn/. 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 "astern"?

From a- (“towards”) + stern (“rear part of a vessel”). 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 “astern”

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

The one correct English spelling is A-S-T-E-R-N - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
Say it as /əˈstɝn/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
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.