capstan
/ˈkæp.stən/
"capstan" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“capstan” is an uncommon English word, ranked #91,334 in English word frequency and used as a noun.
- #91,334
- frequency rank, English
- 7
- letters
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A vertical cylindrical machine that revolves on a spindle, typically surmounted by a drumhead with sockets for levers for turning it; used to apply force to cables, ropes, etc.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | capstan |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Noun |
| IPA | /ˈkæp.stən/ |
| Letters | 7 |
| Frequency rank | #91,334 |
| Misspellings tracked | 0 |
| Confusable pairs | 0 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Where “capstan” sits in English frequency
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
The English entry for capstan is 7 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈkæp.stən/. Corpus data places it at rank #91,334 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 2 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.
We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for capstan, and the word's spelling is regular enough that our generator found nothing worth flagging. Our dataset records no confusable match here, since nothing in our dataset looks or sounds close enough to cause mix-ups.
Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowed into Middle English from either Old French cabestan, from Old Occitan cabestan, from cabestre (“pulley cord”) or from Spanish cabestran, both of which derive from Latin capistrum (“halter”), from capiō (“take hold of”). The correct English form is capstan, spelled C-A-P-S-T-A-N.
Definition
- 1A vertical cylindrical machine that revolves on a spindle, typically surmounted by a drumhead with sockets for levers for turning it; used to apply force to cables, ropes, etc.
- 2A rotating spindle used to move recording tape through the mechanism of a tape recorder.
Etymology
Borrowed into Middle English from either Old French cabestan, from Old Occitan cabestan, from cabestre (“pulley cord”) or from Spanish cabestran, both of which derive from Latin capistrum (“halter”), from capiō (“take hold of”).
This word in other languages
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 "capstan"?
What does "capstan" mean?
How do you pronounce "capstan"?
What is the origin of the word "capstan"?
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Using “capstan”
The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.
- The one correct English spelling is C-A-P-S-T-A-N - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
- Say it as /ˈkæp.stən/ (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.