behindhand

adj

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

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

The verdict

“behindhand” is outside the top-ranked English vocabulary, used as an adjective - the kind of word writers most often double-check.

Unranked
below top-frequency English
10
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Late, tardy, overdue, behind (in accomplishing a task, etc.).

Key facts for behindhand
PropertyValue
Headwordbehindhand
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
Letters10
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “behindhand” sits in English frequency

behindhand 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.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for behindhand is 10 letters long, classified as an adjective. It sits outside the most-frequent rank tiers, which is often why uncommon words generate more spelling variants per reader. Wiktionary records 6 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for behindhand, typically a sign the spelling maps closely to how the word sounds. Our dataset records no confusable match here, a sign it's visually distinctive enough not to be mixed up with another word.

Etymologically, the entry records: From behind + hand. The correct English form is behindhand, spelled B-E-H-I-N-D-H-A-N-D.

Definition

  1. 1
    Late, tardy, overdue, behind (in accomplishing a task, etc.).
  2. 2
    Not at the expected point of completion.
  3. 3
    Behind (someone or something moving, a trend, etc.), lagging behind, not keeping up.
  4. 4
    Behind in paying a debt; in arrears.
  5. 5
    Not having enough of, lacking (in something).
  6. 6
    Inferior, less advanced (compared with someone in something).

Etymology

From behind + hand.

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 "behindhand"?
"behindhand" is spelled B-E-H-I-N-D-H-A-N-D.
What does "behindhand" mean?
As an adjective, "behindhand" means: Late, tardy, overdue, behind (in accomplishing a task, etc.).
What is the origin of the word "behindhand"?
From behind + hand. 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 “behindhand”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is B-E-H-I-N-D-H-A-N-D - 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 FrequencyWords open word-frequency list