flamethrower

/ˈfleɪmˌθɹəʊ.ə/

//ˈfleɪmˌθɹəʊ.ə// noun

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

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

The verdict

“flamethrower” has 19 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #44,787. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#44,787
frequency rank, English
18,613
“F” headwords
19
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A device that projects a flame for starting fires, and sometimes also additional fuel to help ignition. Used either as a weapon or a tool.

Key facts for flamethrower
PropertyValue
Headwordflamethrower
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈfleɪmˌθɹəʊ.ə/
Letters12
Frequency rank#44,787
Misspellings tracked19
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “flamethrower” 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). flamethrower 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 19 spelling variants around flamethrower (IPA /ˈfleɪmˌθɹəʊ.ə/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #44,787 among 18,613 “F” headwords. Wiktionary lists 2 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 19 likely wrong-spelling variants for flamethrower, with forms such as "falmethrower", "fflamethrower", and "flaemthrower". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. Our dataset records no confusable match here, a sign it's visually distinctive enough not to be mixed up with another word.

Etymologically, the entry records: From flame + thrower, calque of German Flammenwerfer. The correct English form is flamethrower, spelled F-L-A-M-E-T-H-R-O-W-E-R.

Definition

  1. 1
    A device that projects a flame for starting fires, and sometimes also additional fuel to help ignition. Used either as a weapon or a tool.
  2. 2
    Someone who is extremely good at throwing or shooting balls.

Etymology

From flame + thrower, calque of German Flammenwerfer.

This word in other languages

lanzallamas(Español)lance-flamme(Français)Flammenwerfer(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • falmethrower
  • fflamethrower
  • flaemthrower
  • flamehtrower
  • flamethhrower
  • flamethorwer
  • flamethroewr
  • flamethrowerr
  • flamethrowre
  • flamethrowwer
  • flamethrrower
  • flamethrwoer
  • flametrhower
  • flametthrower
  • flammethrower
  • flamtehrower
  • fllamethrower
  • flmaethrower
  • lfamethrower

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

falmethrower2fflamethrower1flaemthrower2flamehtrower2flamethhrower1flamethorwer2flamethroewr2flamethrowerr1
Edit distance from "flamethrower"

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 "flamethrower"?
"flamethrower" is spelled F-L-A-M-E-T-H-R-O-W-E-R. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈfleɪmˌθɹəʊ.ə/.
What does "flamethrower" mean?
As a noun, "flamethrower" means: A device that projects a flame for starting fires, and sometimes also additional fuel to help ignition. Used either as a weapon or a tool.
What are common misspellings of "flamethrower"?
Common misspellings include "falmethrower", "fflamethrower", "flaemthrower", "flamehtrower", "flamethhrower". The correct spelling is "flamethrower".
How do you pronounce "flamethrower"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "flamethrower" is /ˈfleɪmˌθɹəʊ.ə/. 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 "flamethrower"?
From flame + thrower, calque of German Flammenwerfer. 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 “flamethrower”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is F-L-A-M-E-T-H-R-O-W-E-R - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈfleɪmˌθɹəʊ.ə/ (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

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 FrequencyWords open word-frequency list