centerfold

/ˈsɛntɚfoʊld/

//ˈsɛntɚfoʊld// noun

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

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

The verdict

“centerfold” is uncommon English (frequency #66,546 among 5,599 “C” headwords), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#66,546
frequency rank, English
5,599
“C” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - The single larger sheet of paper that forms the middle two pages of a magazine or other publication, folded so as to open wider than a standard page spread.

Corpus desk

Index EN-centerfold · centerfold · English

centerfold · rank #66,546 · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-RARE #66,546
  • LEN-MEGA 10 letters
  • VOW-3 3 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-DENSE 5,599
  • PHOTO-FINISH centrale

Nearest frequency peer: centrale (+2 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.

Long-tail ranks near “centerfold”

Sparse band: bars invert rank so rarer forms read shorter

corpus weight

What this shows Long-tail view: where “centerfold” sits against similarly uncommon English ranks.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for centerfold
PropertyValue
Headwordcenterfold
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈsɛntɚfoʊld/
Letters10
Frequency rank#66,546
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “centerfold” in English

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right).centerfoldfalls in this rarity band:

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

The axis is logarithmic, with each marked tick roughly ten times rarer than the last. Rare peers in the same band: “centrale” (#66,548), “Cerf” (#66,549), “castellano” (#66,542). Among 5,599 “C” headwords, “centerfold” is #66,546. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

centerfold is uncommon English at frequency #66,546 among 5,599 “C” headwords, classed as anoun, transcribed /ˈsɛntɚfoʊld/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 4 senses are on record.

No misspelling variants are generated for centerfold in our index, a sign its spelling follows regular English conventions. Our dataset records no confusable match here, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.

Etymologically, the entry records: From center + fold. The correct English form is centerfold, spelled C-E-N-T-E-R-F-O-L-D.

Definition

  1. 1
    The single larger sheet of paper that forms the middle two pages of a magazine or other publication, folded so as to open wider than a standard page spread.
  2. 2
    A large photograph printed on this sheet, typically in the form of a nude, or provocatively dressed, sexually attractive woman or man.
  3. 3
    The person appearing in such a photograph.
  4. 4
    Any very sexually attractive person, who is therefore material for such a photograph.

Recorded use

Wiktionary example

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

  1. My blood runs cold / My memory has just been sold / My angel is the centerfold

Etymology

From center + fold.

This word in other languages

pin-up(Français)

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 "centerfold"?
"centerfold" is spelled C-E-N-T-E-R-F-O-L-D. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈsɛntɚfoʊld/.
What does "centerfold" mean?
As a noun, "centerfold" means: The single larger sheet of paper that forms the middle two pages of a magazine or other publication, folded so as to open wider than a standard page spread.
How do you pronounce "centerfold"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "centerfold" is /ˈsɛntɚfoʊld/. 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 "centerfold"?
From center + fold. 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 "centerfold", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 10 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

castellano#66,542buttressed#66,534contravene#66,575blindingly#66,512

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list