doorknob
/ˈdɔɹ.nɑb/noun, verb
doorknob is spelled D-O-O-R-K-N-O-B: 8 letters and 2 syllables. It appears about once in every 2 million words in written English, the 44,209th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a noun, doorknob means “A circular device attached to a door, the rotation of which permits the unlatching of the door” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). The plural of doorknob is doorknobs.
How many letters and syllables are in doorknob?
| Letters | 8: D-O-O-R-K-N-O-B |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 2 (from its American pronunciation) |
| In writing | about once in every 2 million words; the 44,209th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation and the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How common is doorknob?
Doorknob appears about once in every 2 million words in written English, the 44,209th most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce doorknob?
- UK /ˈdɔː.nɒb/
- US /ˈdɔɹ.nɑb/
Doorknob has 2 syllables (counted from its American pronunciation in the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: LL-Q1860_(eng)-Vealhurl-doorknob.wav, En-us-doorknob.oga, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
Words people confuse with doorknob
Also written: door-knob (one word or two).
Sources: English Wiktionary (homophones, alternative spellings).
Forms of doorknob
- doorknobs plural, present, singular, he/she/it
- door knob
- door-knob
- doorknobbing participle, present
- doorknobbed participle, past
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does doorknob mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
noun
- 1
A circular device attached to a door, the rotation of which permits the unlatching of the door.
- 2
derogatoryinformalA stupid person.
verb
- 1
(especially psychiatry) To suddenly bring up a time-consuming topic when very little time remains to discuss it, often as a tactic to avoid conversation.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Doorknob in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
In the sense circular device attached to a door, the rotation of which permits the unlatching:
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | bouton de porte, clenche, poignée de porte |
| German | Türknauf, Türknopf |
| Portuguese | maçaneta |
| Spanish | perilla, pomo, pomo de la puerta, picaporte |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does doorknob come from?
From door + knob.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).