at the least

prep_phrase

"at-the-least" is a 10-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“at the least” is uncommon English (outside the top frequency list), classed as a prep_phrase. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

Unranked
below top-frequency English
12
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Alternative form of at least.

Key facts for at the least
PropertyValue
Headwordat the least
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechPrep_phrase
Letters12
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “at the least” sits in English frequency

at the least falls 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

at the least is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as aprep_phrase. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. Gloss: "Alternative form of at least.".

No misspelling variants are generated for at the least in our index, which points to an orthography that plays by predictable English rules. No confusable counterpart is on file for this word, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English at þe leste. The correct English form is at the least, spelled A-T- -T-H-E- -L-E-A-S-T.

Definition

  1. 1
    Alternative form of at least.

Etymology

From Middle English at þe leste.

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 "at the least"?
"at the least" is spelled A-T- -T-H-E- -L-E-A-S-T.
What does "at the least" mean?
As a prep_phrase, "at the least" means: Alternative form of at least.
What is the origin of the word "at the least"?
From Middle English at þe leste. 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 “at the least”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is A-T- -T-H-E- -L-E-A-S-T - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • 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