counterclockwise
"counterclockwise" is a 16-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“counterclockwise” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #45,863 in English word frequency and used as an adverb.
- #45,863
- frequency rank, English
- 16
- letters
- 25
- tracked misspellings
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - In the direction of rotation opposite from clockwise.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | counterclockwise |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Adverb |
| Letters | 16 |
| Frequency rank | #45,863 |
| Misspellings tracked | 25 |
| Confusable pairs | 0 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Where “counterclockwise” sits in English frequency
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
The English entry for counterclockwise is 16 letters long, classified as an adverb. Corpus data places it at rank #45,863 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. The dominant gloss from Wiktionary reads: "In the direction of rotation opposite from clockwise.".
Our generated misspelling index lists 25 likely wrong-spelling variants for counterclockwise, with forms such as "ccounterclockwise", "conuterclockwise", and "counetrclockwise". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. This headword has no recorded confusable partner, suggesting its spelling stands apart enough that readers rarely confuse it with something else.
Etymologically, the entry records: From counter- + clock + -wise. The correct English form is counterclockwise, spelled C-O-U-N-T-E-R-C-L-O-C-K-W-I-S-E.
Definition
- 1In the direction of rotation opposite from clockwise.
Etymology
From counter- + clock + -wise.
Synonyms
Common misspellings
Also misspelled as: ccounterclockwise,conuterclockwise,counetrclockwise,counnterclockwise,countecrlockwise,countercclockwise,counterclcokwise,countercllockwise,counterclocckwise,counterclockiwse,counterclockkwise,counterclockwies,counterclockwisse,counterclockwsie,counterclockwwise,counterclocwkise,counterclokcwise,countercolckwise,counterlcockwise,counterrclockwise,countreclockwise,countterclockwise,coutnerclockwise,cuonterclockwise,ocunterclockwise
Misspelling Pattern Breakdown
How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of counterclockwise - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.
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 "counterclockwise"?
What does "counterclockwise" mean?
What are common misspellings of "counterclockwise"?
What is the origin of the word "counterclockwise"?
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Using “counterclockwise”
The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.
- The one correct English spelling is C-O-U-N-T-E-R-C-L-O-C-K-W-I-S-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
- 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.