claptrap
/ˈklæpˌtɹæp/
"claptrap" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“claptrap” is an uncommon English word, ranked #73,072 in English word frequency and used as a noun.
- #73,072
- frequency rank, English
- 8
- letters
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Empty verbiage or nonsense.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | claptrap |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Noun |
| IPA | /ˈklæpˌtɹæp/ |
| Letters | 8 |
| Frequency rank | #73,072 |
| Misspellings tracked | 0 |
| Confusable pairs | 0 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Where “claptrap” sits in English frequency
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
The English entry for claptrap is 8 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈklæpˌtɹæp/. Corpus data places it at rank #73,072 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 3 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.
No misspelling variants are generated for claptrap in our index, which points to an orthography that plays by predictable English rules. It is not paired with a close-neighbour confusable in our dataset, since its spelling is unusual enough that it doesn't cluster with a lookalike.
Etymologically, the entry records: Theater slang, c. 1730, from clap + trap, referring to theatrical techniques or gags used to incite applause. The correct English form is claptrap, spelled C-L-A-P-T-R-A-P.
Definition
- 1Empty verbiage or nonsense.
- 2A device for producing a clapping sound in theaters.
- 3A device or trick to gain applause; a humbug.
Etymology
Theater slang, c. 1730, from clap + trap, referring to theatrical techniques or gags used to incite applause.
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
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Using “claptrap”
The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.
- The one correct English spelling is C-L-A-P-T-R-A-P - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
- Say it as /ˈklæpˌtɹæp/ (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.