backsplash

/ˈbækˌsplæʃ/

//ˈbækˌsplæʃ// noun

"backsplash" is a 10-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“backsplash” is uncommon English (frequency #97,821 among 31,241 “B” headwords), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#97,821
frequency rank, English
31,241
“B” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A vertical covering on a wall rising above a countertop or other work surface to protect the wall from spills and to decorate the wall.

Corpus desk

Index EN-backsplash · backsplash · English

backsplash · rank #97,821 · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-RARE #97,821
  • LEN-MEGA 10 letters
  • VOW-2 2 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-DENSE 31,241
  • PHOTO-FINISH backslide

Nearest frequency peer: backslide (-1 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.

Frequency neighbourhood for “backsplash”

Lower corpus rank = more everyday usage (inverted bar length for readability)

corpus weight

What this shows Bars show where “backsplash” sits against the nearest ranked English headwords in the FrequencyWords band, not a reprint of letter-browse containment.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of May 6, 2026
Key facts for backsplash
PropertyValue
Headwordbacksplash
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈbækˌsplæʃ/
Letters10
Frequency rank#97,821
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “backsplash” 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). backsplash lands here:

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

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

backsplash is uncommon English at frequency #97,821 among 31,241 “B” headwords, classed as anoun, transcribed /ˈbækˌsplæʃ/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 2 senses are on record.

Our edit-distance generator produced no likely misspellings for backsplash, which points to an orthography that plays by predictable English rules. Our confusable-pair dataset has no match for it, suggesting its spelling stands apart enough that readers rarely confuse it with something else.

Etymologically, the entry records: From back + splash. The correct English form is backsplash, spelled B-A-C-K-S-P-L-A-S-H.

Definition

  1. 1
    A vertical covering on a wall rising above a countertop or other work surface to protect the wall from spills and to decorate the wall.
  2. 2
    The small splash of water that occurs when an oar enters the water to begin a stroke, just before the rower reaches the catch.

Etymology

From back + splash.

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); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

PlainSpell is rendered directly from structured Wiktionary extracts and open word-frequency lists, no number is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of May 6, 2026. Primary sources: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) and FrequencyWords.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "backsplash"?
"backsplash" is spelled B-A-C-K-S-P-L-A-S-H. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈbækˌsplæʃ/.
What does "backsplash" mean?
As a noun, "backsplash" means: A vertical covering on a wall rising above a countertop or other work surface to protect the wall from spills and to decorate the wall.
How do you pronounce "backsplash"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "backsplash" is /ˈbækˌsplæʃ/. 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 "backsplash"?
From back + splash. 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 "backsplash", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 10 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

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