birdsmouth

/ˈbɜːdsmaʊθ/

//ˈbɜːdsmaʊθ// noun

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

The verdict

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

Unranked
below top-frequency English
10
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A notch cut into the underside of a rafter to ensure that it does not move when resting on the wall plate running across the top of a wall; a similar notch in other timber components.

Key facts for birdsmouth
PropertyValue
Headwordbirdsmouth
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈbɜːdsmaʊθ/
Letters10
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “birdsmouth” sits in English frequency

birdsmouth 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

birdsmouth is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as anoun, transcribed /ˈbɜːdsmaʊθ/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. Gloss: "A notch cut into the underside of a rafter to ensure that it does not move when resting on the wall plate running across the top of a wall; a similar notch in other timber components.".

No misspelling variants are generated for birdsmouth in our index, typically a sign the spelling maps closely to how the word sounds. This entry stands alone in our confusable dataset, a sign it's visually distinctive enough not to be mixed up with another word.

Etymologically, the entry records: From bird + -s- + mouth, from its appearance. The correct English form is birdsmouth, spelled B-I-R-D-S-M-O-U-T-H.

Definition

  1. 1
    A notch cut into the underside of a rafter to ensure that it does not move when resting on the wall plate running across the top of a wall; a similar notch in other timber components.

Etymology

From bird + -s- + mouth, from its appearance.

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 "birdsmouth"?
"birdsmouth" is spelled B-I-R-D-S-M-O-U-T-H. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈbɜːdsmaʊθ/.
What does "birdsmouth" mean?
As a noun, "birdsmouth" means: A notch cut into the underside of a rafter to ensure that it does not move when resting on the wall plate running across the top of a wall; a similar notch in other timber components.
How do you pronounce "birdsmouth"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "birdsmouth" is /ˈbɜːdsmaʊθ/. 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 "birdsmouth"?
From bird + -s- + mouth, from its appearance. 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 “birdsmouth”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is B-I-R-D-S-M-O-U-T-H - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈbɜːdsmaʊθ/ (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.

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list