bolt

/bɒlt/

//bɒlt// noun

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

"bolt" is a 4-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“bolt” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #6,659 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#6,659
frequency rank, English
4
letters
5
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A (usually) metal fastener consisting of a cylindrical body that is threaded, with a larger head on one end. It can be inserted into an unthreaded hole up to the head, with a nut then threaded on t...

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

bolt vs Bt
25% similar
bolt vs but
50% similar
bolt vs boy
50% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for bolt
PropertyValue
Headwordbolt
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/bɒlt/
Letters4
Frequency rank#6,659
Misspellings tracked5
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “bolt” 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). bolt lands here:

#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 bolt is 4 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /bɒlt/. Corpus data places it at rank #6,659 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 15 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 5 likely wrong-spelling variants for bolt, with forms such as "bbolt", "bollt", and "boltt". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "Bt", "but", "boy", and more, since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English bolt, from Old English bolt, from Proto-West Germanic *bolt, from Proto-Germanic *bultaz, perhaps from Proto-Indo-European *bʰeld- (“to knock, strike”). Compare Lithuanian beldu (“I knock”), baldas (“pole for striking”). Akin to Dutch an… The correct English form is bolt, spelled B-O-L-T.

Definition

  1. 1
    A (usually) metal fastener consisting of a cylindrical body that is threaded, with a larger head on one end. It can be inserted into an unthreaded hole up to the head, with a nut then threaded on the other end; a heavy machine screw.
  2. 2
    Latch-related senses
  3. 3
    Latch-related senses
  4. 4
    Latch-related senses
  5. 5
    An iron to fasten the legs of a prisoner; a shackle; a fetter.
  6. 6
    A stalk or scape (of garlic, onion, etc).
  7. 7
    A large roll of fabric or similar material, as a bolt of cloth.
  8. 8
    A large roll of fabric or similar material, as a bolt of cloth.
  9. 9
    Senses involving sudden movement
  10. 10
    Senses involving sudden movement
  11. 11
    Senses involving sudden movement
  12. 12
    Senses involving sudden movement
  13. 13
    Senses involving sudden movement
  14. 14
    Senses involving sudden movement
  15. 15
    Senses involving sudden movement

Etymology

From Middle English bolt, from Old English bolt, from Proto-West Germanic *bolt, from Proto-Germanic *bultaz, perhaps from Proto-Indo-European *bʰeld- (“to knock, strike”). Compare Lithuanian beldu (“I knock”), baldas (“pole for striking”). Akin to Dutch and West Frisian bout, German Bolz or Bolzen, Danish bolt, Swedish bult, Icelandic bolti. The association of thunder and lightning with 'bolts' is found back into prehistory in many cultures, at least in Eurasia. It comes from the long-standing widespread belief that lightning was caused by bolts, darts, or stones hurtling down from the sky to the earth. This belief was still regarded as commonplace until at least 1929.

This word in other languages

tornillo(Español)boulon(Français)Schraube(Deutsch)ferrolho(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: bbolt,bollt,boltt,botl,oblt

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of bolt - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

bbolt1bollt1boltt1botl2oblt2
Edit distance from "bolt"

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 "bolt"?
"bolt" is spelled B-O-L-T. The IPA pronunciation is /bɒlt/.
What does "bolt" mean?
As a noun, "bolt" means: A (usually) metal fastener consisting of a cylindrical body that is threaded, with a larger head on one end. It can be inserted into an unthreaded hole up to the head, with a nut then threaded on t...
What words are commonly confused with "bolt"?
"bolt" is commonly confused with "Bt", "but", "boy". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "bolt"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "bolt" is /bɒlt/. 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 "bolt"?
From Middle English bolt, from Old English bolt, from Proto-West Germanic *bolt, from Proto-Germanic *bultaz, perhaps from Proto-Indo-European *bʰeld- (“to knock, strike”). Compare Lithuanian beldu (“I knock”), baldas (“pole for striking”). Akin t... 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 “bolt”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is B-O-L-T - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /bɒlt/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “Bt” - see the side-by-side comparison. bolt vs Bt
  • 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