breaker

/ˈbɹeɪkə/

//ˈbɹeɪkə// noun

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

"breaker" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“breaker” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #12,925 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#12,925
frequency rank, English
7
letters
10
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Something that breaks (something else).

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

breaker vs breaks
71% similar
breaker vs broker
71% similar
breaker vs brewer
71% similar

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

Key facts for breaker
PropertyValue
Headwordbreaker
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈbɹeɪkə/
Letters7
Frequency rank#12,925
Misspellings tracked10
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “breaker” 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). breaker 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 breaker is 7 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈbɹeɪkə/. Corpus data places it at rank #12,925 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 10 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 10 likely wrong-spelling variants for breaker, with forms such as "bbreaker", "beraker", and "braeker". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "breaks", "broker", "brewer", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English breker, brekere, equivalent to break + -er. Cognate with Dutch breker, German Low German Breker, German Brecher. The correct English form is breaker, spelled B-R-E-A-K-E-R.

Definition

  1. 1
    Something that breaks (something else).
  2. 2
    A machine for breaking rocks, or for breaking coal at the mines.
  3. 3
    The building in which such a machine is placed.
  4. 4
    A person or company that specializes in breaking things; their yard.
  5. 5
    A person or company that specializes in breaking things; their yard.
  6. 6
    A person or company that specializes in breaking things; their yard.
  7. 7
    A wave breaking into foam against the shore, or against a sandbank, or a rock or reef near the surface, considered a useful warning to ships of an underwater hazard
  8. 8
    A breakdancer.
  9. 9
    A user of CB radio.
  10. 10
    Ellipsis of circuit breaker.

Etymology

From Middle English breker, brekere, equivalent to break + -er. Cognate with Dutch breker, German Low German Breker, German Brecher.

This word in other languages

cachón(Español)casseur(Français)Brecher(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: bbreaker,beraker,braeker,breaekr,breakerr,breakker,breakre,brekaer,brreaker,rbeaker

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of breaker - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

bbreaker1beraker2braeker2breaekr2breakerr1breakker1breakre2brekaer2
Edit distance from "breaker"

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 "breaker"?
"breaker" is spelled B-R-E-A-K-E-R. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈbɹeɪkə/.
What does "breaker" mean?
As a noun, "breaker" means: Something that breaks (something else).
What words are commonly confused with "breaker"?
"breaker" is commonly confused with "breaks", "broker", "brewer". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "breaker"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "breaker" is /ˈbɹeɪkə/. 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 "breaker"?
From Middle English breker, brekere, equivalent to break + -er. Cognate with Dutch breker, German Low German Breker, German Brecher. 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 “breaker”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is B-R-E-A-K-E-R - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈbɹeɪkə/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “breaks” - see the side-by-side comparison. breaker vs breaks
  • 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