cockshut

noun

"cockshut" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“cockshut” is uncommon English (outside the top frequency list), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

Unranked
below top-frequency English
8
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - A kind of net for catching woodcock.

Corpus desk

Index EN-cockshut · cockshut · English

cockshut · unranked · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-UNRANKED Unranked
  • LEN-LONG 8 letters
  • VOW-2 2 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.

Key facts for cockshut
PropertyValue
Headwordcockshut
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
Letters8
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “cockshut” in English

cockshutsits beyond the 100,000 most-frequent English words, in the long tail of technical, archaic, or otherwise rare vocabulary where spelling doubt tends to strike hardest.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

cockshut is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as anoun. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 2 senses are on record.

The misspelling generator found no plausible variants for cockshut, since its letter sequence doesn't invite the usual edit-distance slips. This headword has no recorded confusable partner, since its spelling is unusual enough that it doesn't cluster with a lookalike.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English cockshoot or a compound of cock (noun) + shut (verb). The correct English form is cockshut, spelled C-O-C-K-S-H-U-T.

Definition

  1. 1
    A kind of net for catching woodcock.
  2. 2
    Twilight, when poultry would be shut in for the night.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how cockshut appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. Sir Richard Ratcliff: Thomas the Earl of Surrey, and himself, Much about cock-shut time, from troop to troop Went through the army, cheering up the soldiers.
  2. 1 Fai.: Mistress, this is only spite: For you would not yesternight Kiss him in the cock-shut light.

Etymology

From Middle English cockshoot or a compound of cock (noun) + shut (verb).

Synonyms

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

How do you spell "cockshut"?
"cockshut" is spelled C-O-C-K-S-H-U-T.
What does "cockshut" mean?
As a noun, "cockshut" means: A kind of net for catching woodcock.
What is the origin of the word "cockshut"?
From Middle English cockshoot or a compound of cock (noun) + shut (verb). 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.

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list