counterclockwise

adv

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

"counterclockwise" is a 16-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“counterclockwise” has 25 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #45,863. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#45,863
frequency rank, English
5,599
“C” headwords
25
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - In the direction of rotation opposite from clockwise.

Corpus desk

Index EN-counterclockwise · counterclockwise · English

counterclockwise · rank #45,863 · 25 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #45,863
  • LEN-MEGA 16 letters
  • VOW-6 6 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-HIGH 25 variants
  • BOOK-DENSE 5,599
  • PHOTO-FINISH crevice

Nearest frequency peer: crevice (+1 rank slots)

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.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “counterclockwise”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “counterclockwise” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for counterclockwise
PropertyValue
Headwordcounterclockwise
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdverb
Letters16
Frequency rank#45,863
Misspellings tracked25
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “counterclockwise”

This scale runs from the tiny cluster of words that carry ordinary speech (left) to the long tail of words almost nobody reaches for (right).counterclockwiselands here:

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

Ticks step logarithmically, so each one marks a roughly tenfold drop in how often the word turns up. Same rarity band neighbours include “crevice” (#45,864), “crewman” (#45,865), “crockery” (#45,866). Among 5,599 “C” headwords, “counterclockwise” is #45,863. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 25 spelling variants around counterclockwise, anadverb. Corpus frequency is #45,863 among 5,599 “C” headwords. Dominant gloss: "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

  1. 1
    In the direction of rotation opposite from clockwise.

Etymology

From counter- + clock + -wise.

Synonyms

anticlockwisecontraclockwise

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.

ccounterclockwise1conuterclockwise2counetrclockwise2counnterclockwise1countecrlockwise2countercclockwise1counterclcokwise2countercllockwise1
Edit distance from "counterclockwise"

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"?
"counterclockwise" is spelled C-O-U-N-T-E-R-C-L-O-C-K-W-I-S-E.
What does "counterclockwise" mean?
As an adverb, "counterclockwise" means: In the direction of rotation opposite from clockwise.
What are common misspellings of "counterclockwise"?
Common misspellings include "ccounterclockwise", "conuterclockwise", "counetrclockwise", "counnterclockwise", "countecrlockwise". The correct spelling is "counterclockwise".
What is the origin of the word "counterclockwise"?
From counter- + clock + -wise. 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.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "counterclockwise", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 16 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

anesthesiologist#45,782gastroenterology#45,390unapologetically#46,830underappreciated#44,545

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (25 here; floor ≥5).

uncharacteristic25 variantsenvironmentalism25 variantsadministratively25 variantspsychotherapist25 variants

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list