cleat

/kliːt/

//kliːt// noun

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

"cleat" is a 5-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“cleat” is uncommon English (frequency #61,376 among 43,570 “C” headwords), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#61,376
frequency rank, English
43,570
“C” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A strip of wood or iron fastened on transversely to something in order to give strength, prevent warping, hold position, etc.

Key facts for cleat
PropertyValue
Headwordcleat
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/kliːt/
Letters5
Frequency rank#61,376
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “cleat” sits in English frequency

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

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

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

cleat is uncommon English at frequency #61,376 among 43,570 “C” headwords, classed as anoun, transcribed /kliːt/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 5 senses are on record.

No generated misspelling entries exist for cleat in our index, suggesting the orthography follows predictable English patterns. It is not paired with a close-neighbour confusable in our dataset, since no other headword is close enough in sound or shape to pair with it.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English clete, from Old English *clēat (“block, wedge”), from Proto-West Germanic *klaut, from Proto-Germanic *klautaz (“firm lump”), from Proto-Indo-European *gelewd-, from *gley- (“to glue, stick together, form into a ball”). Cognate with Dutc… The correct English form is cleat, spelled C-L-E-A-T.

Definition

  1. 1
    A strip of wood or iron fastened on transversely to something in order to give strength, prevent warping, hold position, etc.
  2. 2
    A continuous metal strip, or angled piece, used to secure metal components.
  3. 3
    A device to quickly affix a line or rope, and from which it is also easy to release.
  4. 4
    A protrusion on the bottom of a shoe or wheel meant for better traction.
  5. 5
    An athletic shoe equipped with cleats.

Etymology

From Middle English clete, from Old English *clēat (“block, wedge”), from Proto-West Germanic *klaut, from Proto-Germanic *klautaz (“firm lump”), from Proto-Indo-European *gelewd-, from *gley- (“to glue, stick together, form into a ball”). Cognate with Dutch kloot (“ball; testicle”) and German Kloß (“clump”). See also clay and clout.

This word in other languages

cornamusa(Español)taquet(Français)Klampe(Deutsch)grampo(Português)

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 "cleat"?
"cleat" is spelled C-L-E-A-T. The IPA pronunciation is /kliːt/.
What does "cleat" mean?
As a noun, "cleat" means: A strip of wood or iron fastened on transversely to something in order to give strength, prevent warping, hold position, etc.
How do you pronounce "cleat"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "cleat" is /kliːt/. 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 "cleat"?
From Middle English clete, from Old English *clēat (“block, wedge”), from Proto-West Germanic *klaut, from Proto-Germanic *klautaz (“firm lump”), from Proto-Indo-European *gelewd-, from *gley- (“to glue, stick together, form into a ball”). Cognate... 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.

Using “cleat”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is C-L-E-A-T - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /kliːt/ (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

Other uncommon English words near this rank

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.

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list