entail

/ɛnˈteɪl/

//ɛnˈteɪl// verb

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

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

The verdict

“entail” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #22,073 in English word frequency and used as a verb.

#22,073
frequency rank, English
6
letters
8
tracked misspellings
3
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To imply, require, or invoke.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

entail vs entailed
75% similar
entail vs entrails
75% similar
entail vs email
67% similar

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

Key facts for entail
PropertyValue
Headwordentail
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ɛnˈteɪl/
Letters6
Frequency rank#22,073
Misspellings tracked8
Confusable pairs3
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “entail” 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). entail lands here:

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

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

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for entail is 6 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ɛnˈteɪl/. Corpus data places it at rank #22,073 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 4 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 8 likely wrong-spelling variants for entail, with forms such as "enatil", "enntail", and "entaill". 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 3 confusable-pair relationships, "entailed", "entrails", "email", where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English entaillen, from Old French entaillier, entailler (“to notch”, literally “to cut in”); from prefix en- + tailler (“to cut”), from Late Latin taliare, from Latin talea. Compare late Latin feudum talliatum (“a fee entailed, i.e., curtailed … The correct English form is entail, spelled E-N-T-A-I-L.

Definition

  1. 1
    To imply, require, or invoke.
  2. 2
    To settle or fix inalienably on a person or thing, or on a person and his descendants or a certain line of descendants; -- said especially of an estate; to bestow as a heritage.
  3. 3
    To appoint hereditary possessor.
  4. 4
    To cut or carve in an ornamental way.

Etymology

From Middle English entaillen, from Old French entaillier, entailler (“to notch”, literally “to cut in”); from prefix en- + tailler (“to cut”), from Late Latin taliare, from Latin talea. Compare late Latin feudum talliatum (“a fee entailed, i.e., curtailed or limited”).

This word in other languages

conllevar(Español)comporter(Français)bedingen(Deutsch)implicar(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: enatil,enntail,entaill,entali,ential,enttail,etnail,netail

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of entail - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

enatil2enntail1entaill1entali2ential2enttail1etnail2netail2
Edit distance from "entail"

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 "entail"?
"entail" is spelled E-N-T-A-I-L. The IPA pronunciation is /ɛnˈteɪl/.
What does "entail" mean?
As a verb, "entail" means: To imply, require, or invoke.
What words are commonly confused with "entail"?
"entail" is commonly confused with "entailed", "entrails", "email". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "entail"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "entail" is /ɛnˈteɪl/. 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 "entail"?
From Middle English entaillen, from Old French entaillier, entailler (“to notch”, literally “to cut in”); from prefix en- + tailler (“to cut”), from Late Latin taliare, from Latin talea. Compare late Latin feudum talliatum (“a fee entailed, i.e., ... 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 “entail”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is E-N-T-A-I-L - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ɛnˈteɪl/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “entailed” - see the side-by-side comparison. entail vs entailed
  • 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.

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list