cannonball

/ˈkænənˌbɔːl/

//ˈkænənˌbɔːl// noun

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

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

The verdict

“cannonball” has 12 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #33,974. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#33,974
frequency rank, English
43,570
“C” headwords
12
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A spherical projectile fired from a smoothbore cannon.

Key facts for cannonball
PropertyValue
Headwordcannonball
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈkænənˌbɔːl/
Letters10
Frequency rank#33,974
Misspellings tracked12
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “cannonball” 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). cannonball lands here:

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

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

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 12 spelling variants around cannonball (IPA /ˈkænənˌbɔːl/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #33,974 among 43,570 “C” headwords. Wiktionary lists 5 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 12 likely wrong-spelling variants for cannonball, with forms such as "acnnonball", "cannnoball", and "cannobnall". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. It is not paired with a close-neighbour confusable in our dataset, since nothing in our dataset looks or sounds close enough to cause mix-ups.

Etymologically, the entry records: From cannon + ball from being a round ball that is fired from a cannon. The correct English form is cannonball, spelled C-A-N-N-O-N-B-A-L-L.

Definition

  1. 1
    A spherical projectile fired from a smoothbore cannon.
  2. 2
    An explosive-filled hollow iron sphere fused through a hole and intended to explode at a calculated distance rather than explode on impact.
  3. 3
    The act of jumping (typically into a swimming pool) with the legs bent and the arms wrapped around the knees to create a large splash, mimicking the flight and shape of a cannonball.
  4. 4
    Something that moves fast, especially a fast train.
  5. 5
    A served ball that travels with great speed and describes little or no arc in flight.

Etymology

From cannon + ball from being a round ball that is fired from a cannon.

This word in other languages

boulet de canon(Français)Kanonenkugel(Deutsch)bomba(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • acnnonball
  • cannnoball
  • cannobnall
  • cannonabll
  • cannonbal
  • cannonbball
  • cannonblal
  • cannonnball
  • canonball
  • canonnball
  • ccannonball
  • cnanonball

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of cannonball - 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.

acnnonball2cannnoball2cannobnall2cannonabll2cannonbal1cannonbball1cannonblal2cannonnball1
Edit distance from "cannonball"

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 "cannonball"?
"cannonball" is spelled C-A-N-N-O-N-B-A-L-L. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈkænənˌbɔːl/.
What does "cannonball" mean?
As a noun, "cannonball" means: A spherical projectile fired from a smoothbore cannon.
What are common misspellings of "cannonball"?
Common misspellings include "acnnonball", "cannnoball", "cannobnall", "cannonabll", "cannonbal". The correct spelling is "cannonball".
How do you pronounce "cannonball"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "cannonball" is /ˈkænənˌbɔːl/. 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 "cannonball"?
From cannon + ball from being a round ball that is fired from a cannon. 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 “cannonball”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is C-A-N-N-O-N-B-A-L-L - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈkænənˌbɔːl/ (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

Same frequency band

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