catchphrase

noun

"catchphrase" is a 11-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“catchphrase” has 18 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #31,100. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#31,100
frequency rank, English
5,599
“C” headwords
18
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 2, 2026) - A repeated expression, often originating in popular culture.

Corpus desk

Index EN-catchphrase · catchphrase · English

catchphrase · rank #31,100 · 18 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #31,100
  • LEN-MEGA 11 letters
  • VOW-3 3 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-HIGH 18 variants
  • BOOK-DENSE 5,599
  • PHOTO-FINISH censure

Nearest frequency peer: censure (+1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Frequency neighbourhood for “catchphrase”

Lower corpus rank = more everyday usage (inverted bar length for readability)

corpus weight

What this shows Bars show where “catchphrase” sits against the nearest ranked English headwords in the FrequencyWords band, not a reprint of letter-browse containment.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 2, 2026
Key facts for catchphrase
PropertyValue
Headwordcatchphrase
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
Letters11
Frequency rank#31,100
Misspellings tracked18
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “catchphrase” 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). catchphrase 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 18 spelling variants around catchphrase, anoun. Corpus frequency is #31,100 among 5,599 “C” headwords. Wiktionary lists 2 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 18 likely wrong-spelling variants for catchphrase, with forms such as "actchphrase", "cacthphrase", and "catcchphrase". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. No close-neighbour confusable shows up for this headword in our dataset, which typically means the spelling is too distinctive to be mistaken for another word.

Etymologically, the entry records: From catch + phrase, from the notion that the phrase will catch in the mind of the user. The correct English form is catchphrase, spelled C-A-T-C-H-P-H-R-A-S-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    A repeated expression, often originating in popular culture.
  2. 2
    A signature phrase of a particular person or group.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how catchphrase appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. Frequently, catch phrases are not, in the grammarians' sense, phrases at all, but sentences. Catch phrases, like the closely linked proverbial sayings, are self-contained, as, obviously, clichés are too. Catch phrases are usually more pointed and ‘human’ than clichés, although the former sometimes arises from, and often they generate, the latter. Occasion…
  2. For Tigger, he created a slight lisp and laugh, crediting his British wife with Tigger's "TTFN" catchprase - "ta-ta for now", itself coming from BBC radio comedy It's That Man Again.

Etymology

From catch + phrase, from the notion that the phrase will catch in the mind of the user.

Synonyms

signature phrasecatchword

This word in other languages

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • actchphrase
  • cacthphrase
  • catcchphrase
  • catchhphrase
  • catchhprase
  • catchpharse
  • catchphhrase
  • catchphraes
  • catchphrasse
  • catchphrrase
  • catchphrsae
  • catchpphrase
  • catchprhase
  • catcphhrase
  • cathcphrase
  • cattchphrase
  • ccatchphrase
  • ctachphrase

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

actchphrase2cacthphrase2catcchphrase1catchhphrase1catchhprase2catchpharse2catchphhrase1catchphraes2
Edit distance from "catchphrase"

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.

PlainSpell is rendered directly from structured Wiktionary extracts and open word-frequency lists, no number is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of September 2, 2026. Primary sources: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) and FrequencyWords.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "catchphrase"?
"catchphrase" is spelled C-A-T-C-H-P-H-R-A-S-E.
What does "catchphrase" mean?
As a noun, "catchphrase" means: A repeated expression, often originating in popular culture.
What are common misspellings of "catchphrase"?
Common misspellings include "actchphrase", "cacthphrase", "catcchphrase", "catchhphrase", "catchhprase". The correct spelling is "catchphrase".
What is the origin of the word "catchphrase"?
From catch + phrase, from the notion that the phrase will catch in the mind of the user. 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.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "catchphrase", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 11 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (18 here; floor ≥5).

What to do next

You've looked up "catchphrase". Here's where to go from here.

  • 18 edit-distance misspelling variants are generated for spell-check research on this headword. See variants
  • Usage frequency rank #31,100 among English headwords in this corpus. Corpus statistics
  • Browse more English words in the "C" letter cohort. C–Z browse

PlainSpell is a reference corpus, not spelling advice. Verify unusual forms in context.

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