convoy
/ˈkɒn.vɔɪ/noun, verb
convoy is spelled C-O-N-V-O-Y: 6 letters and 2 syllables. It appears 5.1 times per million words in written English, the 11,015th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a noun, convoy means “One or more merchant ships sailing in company to the same general destination under the protection of naval vessels” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). The plural of convoy is convoys.
How many letters and syllables are in convoy?
| Letters | 6: C-O-N-V-O-Y |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 2 (from its American pronunciation) |
| In writing | 5.1 times per million words; the 11,015th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation and the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How common is convoy?
Convoy appears 5.1 times per million words in written English, the 11,015th most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce convoy?
- UK /ˈkɒn.vɔɪ/
Convoy has 2 syllables (counted from its American pronunciation in the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: En-us-convoy.ogg, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
Forms of convoy
- convoys plural, present, singular, he/she/it
- convoying participle, present
- convoyed participle, past
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does convoy mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
noun
- 1
One or more merchant ships sailing in company to the same general destination under the protection of naval vessels.
- 2
A group of vehicles travelling together for safety, especially one with an escort.
- 3
The act of convoying; protection.
verb
- 1
To escort a group of vehicles, and provide protection.
A frigate convoys a merchantman.
- 2
To travel under convoy.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Convoy in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | convoi , convoyer |
| German | Konvoi, Geleitzug , eskortieren, geleiten |
| Portuguese | comboio , comboiar |
| Spanish | convoy , convoyar , caravana |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does convoy come from?
From Middle English, from Old French convoier, another form of conveier, from Vulgar Latin *convio (compare Medieval Latin convio (“to accompany on the way”)), from Latin con- (“together”) + via (“way”).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).