cutter

/ˈkʌtɚ/

//ˈkʌtɚ// noun

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

The verdict

“cutter” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #11,195 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#11,195
frequency rank, English
6
letters
7
tracked misspellings
18
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A person or device that cuts (in various senses).

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

cutter vs cute
67% similar
cutter vs cater
67% similar
cutter vs cutie
67% similar

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

Key facts for cutter
PropertyValue
Headwordcutter
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈkʌtɚ/
Letters6
Frequency rank#11,195
Misspellings tracked7
Confusable pairs18
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “cutter” 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). cutter lands here:

#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 cutter is 6 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈkʌtɚ/. Corpus data places it at rank #11,195 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 20 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 7 likely wrong-spelling variants for cutter, with forms such as "ccutter", "ctuter", and "cuter". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 18 confusable-pair relationships, "cute", "cater", "cutie", and more, since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English cutter, cuttere, kutter. By surface analysis, cut + -er. The correct English form is cutter, spelled C-U-T-T-E-R.

Definition

  1. 1
    A person or device that cuts (in various senses).
  2. 2
    A single-masted, fore-and-aft rigged, sailing vessel with at least two headsails, and a mast set further aft than that of a sloop.
  3. 3
    A motorized vessel used in law enforcement purpose
  4. 4
    A foretooth; an incisor.
  5. 5
    A ship's boat, used for transport ship-to-ship or ship-to-shore.
  6. 6
    A ball that moves sideways in the air, or off the pitch, because it has been cut.
  7. 7
    A cut fastball.
  8. 8
    A ten-pence piece. So named because it is the coin most often sharpened by prison inmates to use as a weapon.
  9. 9
    A person who practices self-injury by making cuts in the flesh.
  10. 10
    A surgeon.
  11. 11
    An animal yielding inferior meat, with little or no external fat and marbling.
  12. 12
    An officer in the exchequer who notes by cutting on the tallies the sums paid.
  13. 13
    A ruffian; a bravo; a destroyer.
  14. 14
    A kind of soft yellow brick, easily cut, and used for facework.
  15. 15
    A light sleigh drawn by one horse.
  16. 16
    A flag or similar instrument for blocking light.
  17. 17
    A knife.
  18. 18
    An active child.
  19. 19
    A supporter of infant circumcision or female genital mutilation; pro-circumcisionist.
  20. 20
    A three-quarters facelock bulldog move in which the attacker drives the opponent's head into the mat while falling onto their back.

Etymology

From Middle English cutter, cuttere, kutter. By surface analysis, cut + -er.

This word in other languages

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: ccutter,ctuter,cuter,cutetr,cutterr,cuttre,uctter

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of cutter - 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.

ccutter1ctuter2cuter1cutetr2cutterr1cuttre2uctter2
Edit distance from "cutter"

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 "cutter"?
"cutter" is spelled C-U-T-T-E-R. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈkʌtɚ/.
What does "cutter" mean?
As a noun, "cutter" means: A person or device that cuts (in various senses).
What words are commonly confused with "cutter"?
"cutter" is commonly confused with "cute", "cater", "cutie". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "cutter"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "cutter" is /ˈkʌtɚ/. 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 "cutter"?
From Middle English cutter, cuttere, kutter. By surface analysis, cut + -er. 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 “cutter”

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

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