cobweb

/ˈkɒbwɛb/

//ˈkɒbwɛb// noun

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

"cobweb" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“cobweb” is uncommon English (frequency #67,317 among 43,570 “C” headwords), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#67,317
frequency rank, English
43,570
“C” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A spiderweb, or the remains of one, especially an asymmetrical one that is woven with an irregular pattern of threads.

Key facts for cobweb
PropertyValue
Headwordcobweb
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈkɒbwɛb/
Letters6
Frequency rank#67,317
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “cobweb” 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). cobweb 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

cobweb is uncommon English at frequency #67,317 among 43,570 “C” headwords, classed as anoun, transcribed /ˈkɒbwɛb/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 7 senses are on record.

cobweb doesn't appear in our generated misspelling index, since its letter sequence doesn't invite the usual edit-distance slips. This entry stands alone in our confusable dataset, which tends to mean the word is visually distinctive enough to stand on its own.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English copweb, coppeweb. Compare Middle Dutch kopwebbe, German Low German Kobbenwebbe (Westphalian). By surface analysis, cob (“spider”, obsolete) + web. The correct English form is cobweb, spelled C-O-B-W-E-B.

Definition

  1. 1
    A spiderweb, or the remains of one, especially an asymmetrical one that is woven with an irregular pattern of threads.
  2. 2
    One of its filaments; gossamer.
  3. 3
    Something thin and unsubstantial, or flimsy and worthless; valueless remainder.
  4. 4
    An intricate plot to catch the unwary.
  5. 5
    A web page that either has not been updated for a long time, or that is rarely visited.
  6. 6
    The European spotted flycatcher, Muscicapa striata.
  7. 7
    fuzzy inexact memories.

Etymology

From Middle English copweb, coppeweb. Compare Middle Dutch kopwebbe, German Low German Kobbenwebbe (Westphalian). By surface analysis, cob (“spider”, obsolete) + web.

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 "cobweb"?
"cobweb" is spelled C-O-B-W-E-B. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈkɒbwɛb/.
What does "cobweb" mean?
As a noun, "cobweb" means: A spiderweb, or the remains of one, especially an asymmetrical one that is woven with an irregular pattern of threads.
How do you pronounce "cobweb"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "cobweb" is /ˈkɒbwɛb/. 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 "cobweb"?
From Middle English copweb, coppeweb. Compare Middle Dutch kopwebbe, German Low German Kobbenwebbe (Westphalian). By surface analysis, cob (“spider”, obsolete) + web. 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 “cobweb”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is C-O-B-W-E-B - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈkɒbwɛb/ (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