clavichord
/ˈklæv.ɪˌkɔːd/
"clavichord" is a 10-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“clavichord” is uncommon English (outside the top frequency list), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.
- Unranked
- below top-frequency English
- 10
- letters
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - An early keyboard instrument producing a soft sound by means of metal blades (called tangents) attached to the inner ends of the keys gently striking the strings.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | clavichord |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Noun |
| IPA | /ˈklæv.ɪˌkɔːd/ |
| Letters | 10 |
| Misspellings tracked | 0 |
| Confusable pairs | 0 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Where “clavichord” sits in English frequency
Rare enough to double-check
clavichord is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as anoun, transcribed /ˈklæv.ɪˌkɔːd/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. Gloss: "An early keyboard instrument producing a soft sound by means of metal blades (called tangents) attached to the inner ends of the keys gently striking the strings.".
Zero misspellings are on record for clavichord in our index, since its letter sequence doesn't invite the usual edit-distance slips. This entry stands alone in our confusable dataset, since no other headword is close enough in sound or shape to pair with it.
Etymologically, the entry records: From German Klavichord, from Renaissance Latin clavichordium, from clāvis (“key”) + chorda (“cord, string”). The correct English form is clavichord, spelled C-L-A-V-I-C-H-O-R-D.
Definition
- 1An early keyboard instrument producing a soft sound by means of metal blades (called tangents) attached to the inner ends of the keys gently striking the strings.
Etymology
From German Klavichord, from Renaissance Latin clavichordium, from clāvis (“key”) + chorda (“cord, string”).
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 “clavichord”
The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.
- The one correct English spelling is C-L-A-V-I-C-H-O-R-D - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
- Say it as /ˈklæv.ɪˌkɔːd/ (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.