enclosure

/ɛnˈkloʊʒəɹ/

//ɛnˈkloʊʒəɹ// noun

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

"enclosure" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“enclosure” has 13 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #12,764. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#12,764
frequency rank, English
18,836
“E” headwords
13
tracked misspellings
1
confusable pair

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Something that is enclosed, i.e. inserted into a letter or similar package.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

enclosure vs enclose
78% similar

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

Key facts for enclosure
PropertyValue
Headwordenclosure
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ɛnˈkloʊʒəɹ/
Letters9
Frequency rank#12,764
Misspellings tracked13
Confusable pairs1
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “enclosure” 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). enclosure 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 13 spelling variants around enclosure (IPA /ɛnˈkloʊʒəɹ/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #12,764 among 18,836 “E” headwords. Wiktionary lists 7 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 13 likely wrong-spelling variants for enclosure, with forms such as "ecnlosure", "encclosure", and "encllosure". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 1 confusable-pair relationship, "enclose", a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English enclosure, from Old French enclosure, from enclore, from Latin inclūdere, inclūdō, from in- (“in”) + claudō (“to shut”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *kleh₂u- (“key, hook, nail”). Alike to inclusion. The correct English form is enclosure, spelled E-N-C-L-O-S-U-R-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    Something that is enclosed, i.e. inserted into a letter or similar package.
  2. 2
    The act of enclosing, i.e. the insertion or inclusion of an item in a letter or package.
  3. 3
    An area, domain, or amount of something partially or entirely enclosed by barriers.
  4. 4
    The act of separating and surrounding an area, domain, or amount of something with a barrier.
  5. 5
    The act of restricting access to ideas, works of art or technologies using patents or intellectual property laws.
  6. 6
    The post-feudal process of subdivision of common lands for individual ownership.
  7. 7
    The area of a convent, monastery, etc where access is restricted to community members.

Etymology

From Middle English enclosure, from Old French enclosure, from enclore, from Latin inclūdere, inclūdō, from in- (“in”) + claudō (“to shut”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *kleh₂u- (“key, hook, nail”). Alike to inclusion.

This word in other languages

encierro(Español)pièce jointe(Français)Anlage(Deutsch)cercado(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • ecnlosure
  • encclosure
  • encllosure
  • enclosrue
  • enclossure
  • enclosuer
  • enclosurre
  • enclousre
  • enclsoure
  • encolsure
  • enlcosure
  • ennclosure
  • neclosure

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

ecnlosure2encclosure1encllosure1enclosrue2enclossure1enclosuer2enclosurre1enclousre2
Edit distance from "enclosure"

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 "enclosure"?
"enclosure" is spelled E-N-C-L-O-S-U-R-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ɛnˈkloʊʒəɹ/.
What does "enclosure" mean?
As a noun, "enclosure" means: Something that is enclosed, i.e. inserted into a letter or similar package.
What words are commonly confused with "enclosure"?
"enclosure" is commonly confused with "enclose". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "enclosure"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "enclosure" is /ɛnˈkloʊʒəɹ/. 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 "enclosure"?
From Middle English enclosure, from Old French enclosure, from enclore, from Latin inclūdere, inclūdō, from in- (“in”) + claudō (“to shut”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *kleh₂u- (“key, hook, nail”). Alike to inclusion. 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.

Using “enclosure”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is E-N-C-L-O-S-U-R-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ɛnˈkloʊʒəɹ/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “enclose” - see the side-by-side comparison. enclosure vs enclose
  • 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