deadbolt

/ˈdɛdˌboʊ̯lt/

//ˈdɛdˌboʊ̯lt// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"deadbolt" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“deadbolt” is uncommon English (frequency #80,366 among 26,416 “D” headwords), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#80,366
frequency rank, English
26,416
“D” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - The part of the lock which is moved when the key is engaged.

Key facts for deadbolt
PropertyValue
Headworddeadbolt
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈdɛdˌboʊ̯lt/
Letters8
Frequency rank#80,366
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “deadbolt” 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). deadbolt lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

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

Rare enough to double-check

deadbolt is uncommon English at frequency #80,366 among 26,416 “D” headwords, classed as anoun, transcribed /ˈdɛdˌboʊ̯lt/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 2 senses are on record.

Our edit-distance generator produced no likely misspellings for deadbolt, typically a sign the spelling maps closely to how the word sounds. 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: From dead + bolt. The correct English form is deadbolt, spelled D-E-A-D-B-O-L-T.

Definition

  1. 1
    The part of the lock which is moved when the key is engaged.
  2. 2
    A kind of lock in which the bolt (moving portion) is held in position by the cylinder rather than by a spring and so cannot be retracted except by turning the cylinder.

Etymology

From dead + bolt.

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 "deadbolt"?
"deadbolt" is spelled D-E-A-D-B-O-L-T. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈdɛdˌboʊ̯lt/.
What does "deadbolt" mean?
As a noun, "deadbolt" means: The part of the lock which is moved when the key is engaged.
How do you pronounce "deadbolt"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "deadbolt" is /ˈdɛdˌboʊ̯lt/. 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 "deadbolt"?
From dead + bolt. 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 “deadbolt”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is D-E-A-D-B-O-L-T - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈdɛdˌboʊ̯lt/ (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

Other uncommon English words near this rank

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