cheval de frise
/ʃəˈvɑːl də ˈfɹiːz/
"cheval-de-frise" is a 13-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“cheval de frise” is uncommon English (outside the top frequency list), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.
- Unranked
- below top-frequency English
- 15
- letters
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - An obstacle made of wood with spikes, for use against attacking cavalry.
Corpus desk
Index EN-cheval-de-frise · cheval de frise · English
cheval de frise · unranked · 0 variants · 0 confusables
- FREQ-UNRANKED Unranked
- LEN-MEGA 15 letters
- VOW-5 5 vowels
- CONFUS-0 No pairs
- VAR-0 0 variants
- BOOK-THIN "C" thin
- PHOTO-UNK Peer pending
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.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | cheval de frise |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Noun |
| IPA | /ʃəˈvɑːl də ˈfɹiːz/ |
| Letters | 15 |
| Misspellings tracked | 0 |
| Confusable pairs | 0 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Long-tail rank of “cheval de frise” in English
Rare enough to double-check
cheval de frise is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as anoun, transcribed /ʃəˈvɑːl də ˈfɹiːz/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 3 senses are on record.
We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for cheval de frise, which points to an orthography that plays by predictable English rules. No close-neighbour confusable shows up for this headword in our dataset, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.
Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowed from French cheval de frise (“Frisian horse”), so named because it was employed by the Dutch (who lacked cavalry) against the Spanish cavalry in their war for independence. The correct English form is cheval de frise, spelled C-H-E-V-A-L- -D-E- -F-R-I-S-E.
Definition
- 1An obstacle made of wood with spikes, for use against attacking cavalry.
- 2Protective row of spikes or broken glass set into the top of a wall and used to prevent intrusion.
- 3The jagged edge of 18th-century women's clothing.
Recorded use
Wiktionary examplesThese source excerpts show how cheval de frise appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.
The mountains of Colorado were, till a comparatively recent date, richly clothed with forest; but owing partly to natural causes, and still more to the lavish consumption and reckless destruction of the early settlers, the quantity of growing timber in the State is exceedingly small, and before long, if restorative measures are not adopted, the Colorado d…
Round the crucified animal long, sharp bamboo stakes are placed, which form chevaux de frise round about it. These commemorate the days when such defences surrounded the villages on all sides to keep off human enemies.
Etymology
Borrowed from French cheval de frise (“Frisian horse”), so named because it was employed by the Dutch (who lacked cavalry) against the Spanish cavalry in their war for independence.
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.