forward slash
"forward-slash" is a 12-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“forward slash” is outside the top-ranked English vocabulary, used as a noun - the kind of word writers most often double-check.
- Unranked
- below top-frequency English
- 13
- letters
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Synonym of slash ⟨/⟩
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | forward slash |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Noun |
| Letters | 13 |
| Misspellings tracked | 0 |
| Confusable pairs | 0 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Where “forward slash” sits in English frequency
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
The English entry for forward slash is 13 letters long, classified as a noun. It sits outside the most-frequent rank tiers, which is often why uncommon words generate more spelling variants per reader. The dominant gloss from Wiktionary reads: "Synonym of slash ⟨/⟩".
Our edit-distance generator produced no likely misspellings for forward slash, since its letter pattern doesn't lend itself to common typo substitutions. This headword has no recorded confusable partner, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.
Etymologically, the entry records: A retronym coined to distinguish the slash from the backslash, particularly in computing contexts. The correct English form is forward slash, spelled F-O-R-W-A-R-D- -S-L-A-S-H.
Definition
- 1Synonym of slash ⟨/⟩
Etymology
A retronym coined to distinguish the slash from the backslash, particularly in computing contexts.
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
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Using “forward slash”
The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.
- The one correct English spelling is F-O-R-W-A-R-D- -S-L-A-S-H - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
- 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.