cattail
/ˈkæt.teɪl/
"cattail" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“cattail” is uncommon English (outside the top frequency list), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.
- Unranked
- below top-frequency English
- 7
- letters
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Any of several perennial herbs, of the genus Typha, that have long flat leaves, and grow in marshy places.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | cattail |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Noun |
| IPA | /ˈkæt.teɪl/ |
| Letters | 7 |
| Misspellings tracked | 0 |
| Confusable pairs | 0 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Where “cattail” sits in English frequency
Rare enough to double-check
cattail is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as anoun, transcribed /ˈkæt.teɪl/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 2 senses are on record.
We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for cattail, suggesting the orthography follows predictable English patterns. This headword has no recorded confusable partner, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.
Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English cattal, cattyle (also as cattestail), equivalent to cat + tail. The correct English form is cattail, spelled C-A-T-T-A-I-L.
Definition
- 1Any of several perennial herbs, of the genus Typha, that have long flat leaves, and grow in marshy places.
- 2A cat-o'-nine-tails.
Etymology
From Middle English cattal, cattyle (also as cattestail), equivalent to cat + tail.
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). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Using “cattail”
The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.
- The one correct English spelling is C-A-T-T-A-I-L - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
- Say it as /ˈkæt.teɪl/ (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.