downwind

/ˌdaʊnˈwɪnd/

//ˌdaʊnˈwɪnd// adv

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

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

The verdict

“downwind” has 13 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #43,611. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#43,611
frequency rank, English
3,470
“D” headwords
13
tracked misspellings
2
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - in the same direction as the wind is blowing

Corpus desk

Index EN-downwind · downwind · English

downwind · rank #43,611 · 13 variants · 2 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #43,611
  • LEN-LONG 8 letters
  • VOW-2 2 vowels
  • CONFUS-LOW 2 pairs
  • VAR-HIGH 13 variants
  • BOOK-MID 3,470
  • PHOTO-FINISH Drago

Nearest frequency peer: Drago (+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.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “downwind”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “downwind” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

downwind vs downing
75% similar
downwind vs downward
75% similar

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

Key facts for downwind
PropertyValue
Headworddownwind
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdverb
IPA/ˌdaʊnˈwɪnd/
Letters8
Frequency rank#43,611
Misspellings tracked13
Confusable pairs2
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “downwind”

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

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

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Same rarity band neighbours include “Drago” (#43,612), “DRI” (#43,613), “dodgeball” (#43,608). Among 3,470 “D” headwords, “downwind” is #43,611. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 13 spelling variants around downwind (IPA /ˌdaʊnˈwɪnd/), anadverb. Corpus frequency is #43,611 among 3,470 “D” headwords. Wiktionary lists 3 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 13 likely wrong-spelling variants for downwind, with forms such as "ddownwind", "donwwind", and "downiwnd". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 2 confusable-pair relationships, "downing", "downward", since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: From down- + wind. The correct English form is downwind, spelled D-O-W-N-W-I-N-D.

Definition

  1. 1
    in the same direction as the wind is blowing
  2. 2
    positioned relative to something in such a way that it can be smelled in the wind
  3. 3
    in the direction opposite that of landing in a traffic pattern

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. ... the aftermath of the dust-storm came up and caught us both, and drove us downwind like pieces of paper.
  2. The six birds on their downwind leg have already started to get their "gear down," meaning they have partially rotated their legs forward in a position that will be vertical by the moment of touch down.

Etymology

From down- + wind.

Synonyms

leeward

Antonyms

upwindwindward

This word in other languages

sotavento(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • ddownwind
  • donwwind
  • downiwnd
  • downnwind
  • downwidn
  • downwindd
  • downwinnd
  • downwnid
  • downwwind
  • dowwnind
  • dowwnwind
  • dwonwind
  • odwnwind

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

ddownwind1donwwind2downiwnd2downnwind1downwidn2downwindd1downwinnd1downwnid2
Edit distance from "downwind"

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 "downwind"?
"downwind" is spelled D-O-W-N-W-I-N-D. The IPA pronunciation is /ˌdaʊnˈwɪnd/.
What does "downwind" mean?
As an adverb, "downwind" means: in the same direction as the wind is blowing
What words are commonly confused with "downwind"?
"downwind" is commonly confused with "downing", "downward". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "downwind"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "downwind" is /ˌdaʊnˈwɪnd/. 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 "downwind"?
From down- + wind. 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 "downwind", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 8 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

duckling#43,615darkroom#43,594essayist#43,631cysteine#43,590

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (13 here; floor ≥5).

Dalmatian13 variantscourtesan13 variantsFinsbury13 variantsForsythe13 variants

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list