deathtrap

/ˈdɛθtɹæp/

//ˈdɛθtɹæp// noun

"deathtrap" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“deathtrap” is uncommon English (frequency #87,192 among 3,470 “D” headwords), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#87,192
frequency rank, English
3,470
“D” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - An extremely dangerous location, structure, or device.

Corpus desk

Index EN-deathtrap · deathtrap · English

deathtrap · rank #87,192 · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-RARE #87,192
  • LEN-LONG 9 letters
  • VOW-3 3 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-MID 3,470
  • PHOTO-FINISH deathcore

Nearest frequency peer: deathcore (-1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Long-tail ranks near “deathtrap”

Sparse band: bars invert rank so rarer forms read shorter

corpus weight

What this shows Long-tail view: where “deathtrap” sits against similarly uncommon English ranks.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for deathtrap
PropertyValue
Headworddeathtrap
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈdɛθtɹæp/
Letters9
Frequency rank#87,192
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “deathtrap” in English

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right).deathtrapfalls in this rarity band:

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

Ticks step logarithmically, so each one marks a roughly tenfold drop in how often the word turns up. Rare peers in the same band: “deathcore” (#87,191), “decarboxylase” (#87,194), “decriminalisation” (#87,195). Among 3,470 “D” headwords, “deathtrap” is #87,192. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

deathtrap is uncommon English at frequency #87,192 among 3,470 “D” headwords, classed as anoun, transcribed /ˈdɛθtɹæp/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 2 senses are on record.

deathtrap has no tracked misspelling variants, typically a sign the spelling maps closely to how the word sounds. This headword has no recorded confusable partner, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.

Etymologically, the entry records: From death + trap. The correct English form is deathtrap, spelled D-E-A-T-H-T-R-A-P.

Definition

  1. 1
    An extremely dangerous location, structure, or device.
  2. 2
    A plot device where a villain in a story puts a hero in an elaborate dangerous situation for the purposes of attempting a sadistic murder.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how deathtrap appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. Route 9 is a deathtrap; they should at least put up guard rails.
  2. Dude, your car is a deathtrap! Get the brakes and the steering fixed.

Etymology

From death + trap.

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); 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 "deathtrap"?
"deathtrap" is spelled D-E-A-T-H-T-R-A-P. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈdɛθtɹæp/.
What does "deathtrap" mean?
As a noun, "deathtrap" means: An extremely dangerous location, structure, or device.
How do you pronounce "deathtrap"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "deathtrap" is /ˈdɛθtɹæp/. 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 "deathtrap"?
From death + trap. 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.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "deathtrap", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 9 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list