eavesdropper

/ˈiːvzˌdɹɒpə(ɹ)/

//ˈiːvzˌdɹɒpə(ɹ)// noun

"eavesdropper" is a 12-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“eavesdropper” is uncommon English (outside the top frequency list), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

Unranked
below top-frequency English
12
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - One who eavesdrops.

Corpus desk

Index EN-eavesdropper · eavesdropper · English

eavesdropper · unranked · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-UNRANKED Unranked
  • LEN-MEGA 12 letters
  • VOW-5 5 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-THIN "E" thin
  • PHOTO-UNK Peer pending

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.

Key facts for eavesdropper
PropertyValue
Headwordeavesdropper
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈiːvzˌdɹɒpə(ɹ)/
Letters12
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “eavesdropper” in English

eavesdropperfalls outside the top-100,000 ranked English words, the long-tail zone of technical, archaic, or low-frequency vocabulary, exactly where readers second-guess spellings most.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

eavesdropper is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as anoun, transcribed /ˈiːvzˌdɹɒpə(ɹ)/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 2 senses are on record.

No generated misspelling entries exist for eavesdropper in our index, and the word's spelling is regular enough that our generator found nothing worth flagging. No close-neighbour confusable shows up for this headword in our dataset, a sign it's visually distinctive enough not to be mixed up with another word.

Etymologically, the entry records: From eavesdrop + -er (“person or thing which does”). The correct English form is eavesdropper, spelled E-A-V-E-S-D-R-O-P-P-E-R.

Definition

  1. 1
    One who eavesdrops.
  2. 2
    A surveillance aircraft.

Recorded use

Wiktionary example

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

  1. […] the Japanese Ministry of Defence rang the bell and informed the world's press about the Tokyo Express — the ironic Japanese nickname for the constant flow of Soviet flying eavesdroppers in Japanese airspace.

Etymology

From eavesdrop + -er (“person or thing which does”).

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

How do you spell "eavesdropper"?
"eavesdropper" is spelled E-A-V-E-S-D-R-O-P-P-E-R. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈiːvzˌdɹɒpə(ɹ)/.
What does "eavesdropper" mean?
As a noun, "eavesdropper" means: One who eavesdrops.
How do you pronounce "eavesdropper"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "eavesdropper" is /ˈiːvzˌdɹɒpə(ɹ)/. 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 "eavesdropper"?
From eavesdrop + -er (“person or thing which does”). 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.

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list