cuirass

/kwɪˈɹæs/

//kwɪˈɹæs// noun

"cuirass" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

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

Unranked
below top-frequency English
7
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A piece of defensive armor, covering the body from the neck to the girdle.

Key facts for cuirass
PropertyValue
Headwordcuirass
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/kwɪˈɹæs/
Letters7
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “cuirass” sits in English frequency

cuirass 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

cuirass is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as anoun, transcribed /kwɪˈɹæs/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 2 senses are on record.

Zero misspellings are on record for cuirass in our index, and the word's spelling is regular enough that our generator found nothing worth flagging. This entry stands alone in our confusable dataset, which typically means the spelling is too distinctive to be mistaken for another word.

Etymologically, the entry records: First use appears c. 1464. From Middle English curasse, curesse, from Old French cuirace, spelling influenced by modern French cuirasse. The correct English form is cuirass, spelled C-U-I-R-A-S-S.

Definition

  1. 1
    A piece of defensive armor, covering the body from the neck to the girdle.
  2. 2
    The breastplate taken by itself.

Etymology

First use appears c. 1464. From Middle English curasse, curesse, from Old French cuirace, spelling influenced by modern French cuirasse.

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 "cuirass"?
"cuirass" is spelled C-U-I-R-A-S-S. The IPA pronunciation is /kwɪˈɹæs/.
What does "cuirass" mean?
As a noun, "cuirass" means: A piece of defensive armor, covering the body from the neck to the girdle.
How do you pronounce "cuirass"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "cuirass" is /kwɪˈɹæs/. 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 "cuirass"?
First use appears c. 1464. From Middle English curasse, curesse, from Old French cuirace, spelling influenced by modern French cuirasse. 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 “cuirass”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is C-U-I-R-A-S-S - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /kwɪˈɹæs/ (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 FrequencyWords open word-frequency list