dyed-in-the-wool
/ˌdaɪd ɪn ðə ˈwʊl/
"dyed-in-the-wool" is a 13-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“dyed-in-the-wool” is uncommon English (outside the top frequency list), classed as an adjective. The kind of spelling people second-guess.
- Unranked
- below top-frequency English
- 16
- letters
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Having the fibres dyed before they are formed into cloth.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | dyed-in-the-wool |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Adjective |
| IPA | /ˌdaɪd ɪn ðə ˈwʊl/ |
| Letters | 16 |
| Misspellings tracked | 0 |
| Confusable pairs | 0 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Where “dyed-in-the-wool” sits in English frequency
Rare enough to double-check
dyed-in-the-wool is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as anadjective, transcribed /ˌdaɪd ɪn ðə ˈwʊl/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 2 senses are on record.
dyed-in-the-wool doesn't appear in our generated misspelling index, since its letter sequence doesn't invite the usual edit-distance slips. This entry stands alone in our confusable dataset, since its spelling is unusual enough that it doesn't cluster with a lookalike.
Etymologically, the entry records: From the past participle of dye in the wool. The expression comes from the fact that fabric can be dyed in a number of ways. The woven fabric may be dyed after it is complete, or the threads may be dyed before they are woven. When a color is "dyed in the wo… The correct English form is dyed-in-the-wool, spelled D-Y-E-D---I-N---T-H-E---W-O-O-L.
Definition
- 1Having the fibres dyed before they are formed into cloth.
- 2Firmly established in one's beliefs or habits; having a specified characteristic, identity, etc. deeply ingrained in one's nature.
Etymology
From the past participle of dye in the wool. The expression comes from the fact that fabric can be dyed in a number of ways. The woven fabric may be dyed after it is complete, or the threads may be dyed before they are woven. When a color is "dyed in the wool," the wool itself is dyed before being spun into threads, so the colour is least likely to fade or change. (Dyes: Webster’s Quotations, Facts and Phrases. Icon Group International. 2008, p. 344.).
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). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Using “dyed-in-the-wool”
The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.
- The one correct English spelling is D-Y-E-D---I-N---T-H-E---W-O-O-L - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
- Say it as /ˌdaɪd ɪn ðə ˈwʊl/ (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
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.