crenel

/ˈkɹɛnəl/

//ˈkɹɛnəl// noun

"crenel" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“crenel” is uncommon English (outside the top frequency list), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

Unranked
below top-frequency English
6
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - The space between merlons in a crenelated battlement.

Key facts for crenel
PropertyValue
Headwordcrenel
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈkɹɛnəl/
Letters6
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “crenel” sits in English frequency

crenel falls outside the top-100,000 ranked English words, the long-tail zone of technical, archaic, or low-frequency vocabulary, exactly where readers second-guess spellings most.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

crenel is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as anoun, transcribed /ˈkɹɛnəl/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. Gloss: "The space between merlons in a crenelated battlement.".

No misspelling variants are generated for crenel in our index, since its letter sequence doesn't invite the usual edit-distance slips. No confusable counterpart is on file for this word, suggesting its spelling stands apart enough that readers rarely confuse it with something else.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Old French crenel ( > modern French créneau), diminutive of cren (“notch”). The correct English form is crenel, spelled C-R-E-N-E-L.

Definition

  1. 1
    The space between merlons in a crenelated battlement.

Etymology

From Old French crenel ( > modern French créneau), diminutive of cren (“notch”).

This word in other languages

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "crenel"?
"crenel" is spelled C-R-E-N-E-L. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈkɹɛnəl/.
What does "crenel" mean?
As a noun, "crenel" means: The space between merlons in a crenelated battlement.
How do you pronounce "crenel"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "crenel" is /ˈkɹɛnəl/. 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 "crenel"?
From Old French crenel ( > modern French créneau), diminutive of cren (“notch”). 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 “crenel”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is C-R-E-N-E-L - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈkɹɛnəl/ (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.

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list