coxswain

Name: coxswain, English Word Data
Creator: Wiktionary
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

/ˈkɒk.s(ə)n/

//ˈkɒk.s(ə)n// noun

By PlainSpell Editorial Team · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) · analyzed May 6, 2026

The verdict

“coxswain” is an uncommon English word, ranked #78,495 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#78,495
frequency rank, English: 8
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - In a ship's boat, the helmsman given charge of the boat's crew.

Key facts for coxswain
Property	Value
Headword	coxswain
Language	English
Part of speech	Noun
IPA	/ˈkɒk.s(ə)n/
Letters	8
Frequency rank	#78,495
Misspellings tracked	0
Confusable pairs	0
Source	Wiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “coxswain” 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). coxswain lands here:

#78,495

#1#100#1K#10K#100K

← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for coxswain is 8 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈkɒk.s(ə)n/. Corpus data places it at rank #78,495 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 4 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Zero misspellings are on record for coxswain in our index, since its letter sequence doesn't invite the usual edit-distance slips. Our dataset records no confusable match here, since its spelling is unusual enough that it doesn't cluster with a lookalike.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English cokswain; equivalent to cock (“a boat”) + swain (“boy, servant”). The correct English form is coxswain, spelled C-O-X-S-W-A-I-N.

Definition

1
In a ship's boat, the helmsman given charge of the boat's crew.
2
The member of a crew who steers the shell and coordinates the power and rhythm of the rowers.
3
The second or third mate of a vessel, in charge of the master's barge.
4
A rank or position.

Etymology

From Middle English cokswain; equivalent to cock (“a boat”) + swain (“boy, servant”).

This word in other languages

timonero(Español)Steuermann(Deutsch)timoneiro(Português)

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 "coxswain"?

"coxswain" is spelled C-O-X-S-W-A-I-N. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈkɒk.s(ə)n/.

What does "coxswain" mean?

As a noun, "coxswain" means: In a ship's boat, the helmsman given charge of the boat's crew.

How do you pronounce "coxswain"?

The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "coxswain" is /ˈkɒk.s(ə)n/. 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 "coxswain"?

From Middle English cokswain; equivalent to cock (“a boat”) + swain (“boy, servant”). 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 “coxswain”

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

The one correct English spelling is C-O-X-S-W-A-I-N - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
Say it as /ˈkɒk.s(ə)n/ (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

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.