elbows

/ˈɛl.bəʊz/

//ˈɛl.bəʊz// noun

"elbows" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“elbows” has 9 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #17,125. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#17,125
frequency rank, English
18,836
“E” headwords
9
tracked misspellings
1
confusable pair

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - plural of elbow

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

elbows vs elbow
83% similar

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

Key facts for elbows
PropertyValue
Headwordelbows
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈɛl.bəʊz/
Letters6
Frequency rank#17,125
Misspellings tracked9
Confusable pairs1
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “elbows” sits in English frequency

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

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

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 9 spelling variants around elbows (IPA /ˈɛl.bəʊz/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #17,125 among 18,836 “E” headwords. Dominant gloss: "plural of elbow".

Our generated misspelling index lists 9 likely wrong-spelling variants for elbows, with forms such as "eblows", "elbbows", and "elbosw". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. It also participates in 1 confusable-pair relationship, "elbow", where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

No documented word history exists for this headword, so any spelling logic here comes from how the word's sounds map to letters, not a documented origin story. The correct English form is elbows, spelled E-L-B-O-W-S.

Definition

  1. 1
    plural of elbow

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • eblows
  • elbbows
  • elbosw
  • elbowss
  • elbowws
  • elbwos
  • ellbows
  • elobws
  • lebows

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

eblows2elbbows1elbosw2elbowss1elbowws1elbwos2ellbows1elobws2
Edit distance from "elbows"

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 "elbows"?
"elbows" is spelled E-L-B-O-W-S. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈɛl.bəʊz/.
What does "elbows" mean?
As a noun, "elbows" means: plural of elbow
What words are commonly confused with "elbows"?
"elbows" is commonly confused with "elbow". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "elbows"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "elbows" is /ˈɛl.bəʊz/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "elbows" come from?
"elbows" is a English word. PlainSpell's reference spans five languages -- English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and German -- with definitions, pronunciations, and spelling data for each.
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.

Using “elbows”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is E-L-B-O-W-S - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈɛl.bəʊz/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “elbow” - see the side-by-side comparison. elbows vs elbow
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words

Same frequency band

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.

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list