cantilever

/ˈkantɪliːvə/

//ˈkantɪliːvə// noun

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

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

The verdict

“cantilever” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #40,604 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#40,604
frequency rank, English
10
letters
15
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A beam anchored at one end and projecting into space, such as a long bracket projecting from a wall to support a balcony.

Key facts for cantilever
PropertyValue
Headwordcantilever
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈkantɪliːvə/
Letters10
Frequency rank#40,604
Misspellings tracked15
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “cantilever” 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). cantilever 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 cantilever is 10 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈkantɪliːvə/. Corpus data places it at rank #40,604 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 3 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 15 likely wrong-spelling variants for cantilever, with forms such as "acntilever", "canitlever", and "canntilever". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. This headword has no recorded confusable partner, which tends to mean the word is visually distinctive enough to stand on its own.

Etymologically, the entry records: First attested in the 1660s, probably from cant (“slope, edge, corner”) + lever, but the earliest form (c. 1610) was cantlapper. First element may also be Spanish can (“dog”), an architect's term for an end of timber jutting out of a wall, on which beams re… The correct English form is cantilever, spelled C-A-N-T-I-L-E-V-E-R.

Definition

  1. 1
    A beam anchored at one end and projecting into space, such as a long bracket projecting from a wall to support a balcony.
  2. 2
    A beam anchored at one end and used as a lever within a microelectromechanical system.
  3. 3
    A technique, similar to the spread eagle, in which the skater travels along a deep edge with knees bent and bends their back backwards, parallel to the ice.

Etymology

First attested in the 1660s, probably from cant (“slope, edge, corner”) + lever, but the earliest form (c. 1610) was cantlapper. First element may also be Spanish can (“dog”), an architect's term for an end of timber jutting out of a wall, on which beams rested.

This word in other languages

voladizo(Español)porte-à-faux(Français)Auskragung(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: acntilever,canitlever,canntilever,cantielver,cantileevr,cantileverr,cantilevre,cantilevver,cantillever,cantilveer,cantliever,canttilever,catnilever,ccantilever,cnatilever

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

acntilever2canitlever2canntilever1cantielver2cantileevr2cantileverr1cantilevre2cantilevver1
Edit distance from "cantilever"

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 "cantilever"?
"cantilever" is spelled C-A-N-T-I-L-E-V-E-R. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈkantɪliːvə/.
What does "cantilever" mean?
As a noun, "cantilever" means: A beam anchored at one end and projecting into space, such as a long bracket projecting from a wall to support a balcony.
What are common misspellings of "cantilever"?
Common misspellings include "acntilever", "canitlever", "canntilever", "cantielver", "cantileevr". The correct spelling is "cantilever".
How do you pronounce "cantilever"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "cantilever" is /ˈkantɪliːvə/. 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 "cantilever"?
First attested in the 1660s, probably from cant (“slope, edge, corner”) + lever, but the earliest form (c. 1610) was cantlapper. First element may also be Spanish can (“dog”), an architect's term for an end of timber jutting out of a wall, on whic... 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 “cantilever”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is C-A-N-T-I-L-E-V-E-R - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈkantɪliːvə/ (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 FrequencyWords open word-frequency list