crate

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

/kɹeɪt/

//kɹeɪt// noun

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

The verdict

“crate” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #15,594 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#15,594
frequency rank, English: 5
letters: 6
tracked misspellings: 20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A large open box or basket, used especially to transport fragile goods.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

crate vs CRT

0% similar

crate vs CTE

0% similar

crate vs cute

60% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for crate
Property	Value
Headword	crate
Language	English
Part of speech	Noun
IPA	/kɹeɪt/
Letters	5
Frequency rank	#15,594
Misspellings tracked	6
Confusable pairs	20
Source	Wiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “crate” 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). crate lands here:

#15,594

#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 crate is 5 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /kɹeɪt/. Corpus data places it at rank #15,594 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 3 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 6 likely wrong-spelling variants for crate, with forms such as "ccrate", "craet", and "cratte". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "CRT", "CTE", "cute", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Dutch krat (“crate, large box, basket”), from Middle Dutch cratte (“basketware, mold”), from Old Dutch *kratta, *kratto (“basket”), from Proto-Germanic *kratjô, *krattijô (“basket”), from Proto-Indo-European *gretH- (“plaiting, wicker, basket, cradle”)… The correct English form is crate, spelled C-R-A-T-E.

Definition

1
A large open box or basket, used especially to transport fragile goods.
2
A vehicle (car, aircraft, spacecraft, etc.) seen as unreliable.
3
In the Rust programming language, a binary or library.

Etymology

From Dutch krat (“crate, large box, basket”), from Middle Dutch cratte (“basketware, mold”), from Old Dutch *kratta, *kratto (“basket”), from Proto-Germanic *kratjô, *krattijô (“basket”), from Proto-Indo-European *gretH- (“plaiting, wicker, basket, cradle”), from Proto-Indo-European *ger- (“to bind, twist, wind”). Cognate with West Frisian kret (“wheelbarrow”), German Krätze (“basket”), Old English cræt, ceart (“cart, wagon, chariot”), Old Norse kartr (“wagon”), modern English cart. Wider cognates include Sanskrit ग्रन्थ (grantha, “a binding”). Alternatively from Latin crātis (“wickerwork”), perhaps from the same PIE root.

This word in other languages

jaba(Español)caisse(Français)Kiste(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: ccrate,craet,cratte,crrate,crtae,rcate

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of crate - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

Edit distance from "crate"

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 "crate"?

"crate" is spelled C-R-A-T-E. The IPA pronunciation is /kɹeɪt/.

What does "crate" mean?

As a noun, "crate" means: A large open box or basket, used especially to transport fragile goods.

What words are commonly confused with "crate"?

"crate" is commonly confused with "CRT", "CTE", "cute". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.

How do you pronounce "crate"?

The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "crate" is /kɹeɪt/. 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 "crate"?

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 “crate”

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

The one correct English spelling is C-R-A-T-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
Say it as /kɹeɪt/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
Don't mix it up with “CRT” - see the side-by-side comparison. crate vs CRT
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.