gimlet

Name: gimlet, English Word Data
Creator: Wiktionary
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

/ˈɡɪm.lət/

//ˈɡɪm.lət// noun

By PlainSpell · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) · analyzed May 6, 2026

The verdict

“gimlet” is uncommon English (frequency #74,990 among 18,276 “G” headwords), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#74,990
frequency rank, English: 18,276
“G” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A small screw-tipped tool for boring holes.

Key facts for gimlet
Property	Value
Headword	gimlet
Language	English
Part of speech	Noun
IPA	/ˈɡɪm.lət/
Letters	6
Frequency rank	#74,990
Misspellings tracked	0
Confusable pairs	0
Source	Wiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “gimlet” 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). gimlet lands here:

#74,990

#1#100#1K#10K#100K

← used constantlyrarely used →

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

Rare enough to double-check

gimlet is uncommon English at frequency #74,990 among 18,276 “G” headwords, classed as anoun, transcribed /ˈɡɪm.lət/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 2 senses are on record.

No misspelling variants are generated for gimlet in our index, suggesting the orthography follows predictable English patterns. No confusable counterpart is on file for this word, a sign it's visually distinctive enough not to be mixed up with another word.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English gimlet etc., from Old French guinbelet, guimbelet, guibelet, probably a diminutive of the Anglo-Norman wimble, a variation of guimble (“drill”), from the Middle Low German wiemel; continued in New French as gibelet. Cocktail either named… The correct English form is gimlet, spelled G-I-M-L-E-T.

Definition

1
A small screw-tipped tool for boring holes.
2
A cocktail, usually made with gin and lime juice.

Etymology

From Middle English gimlet etc., from Old French guinbelet, guimbelet, guibelet, probably a diminutive of the Anglo-Norman wimble, a variation of guimble (“drill”), from the Middle Low German wiemel; continued in New French as gibelet. Cocktail either named after the tool, in reference to its penetrating effects, or British Navy surgeon Thomas Gimlette (1857–1943).

This word in other languages

vrille(Français)Ahle(Deutsch)verruma(Português)

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 "gimlet"?

"gimlet" is spelled G-I-M-L-E-T. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈɡɪm.lət/.

What does "gimlet" mean?

As a noun, "gimlet" means: A small screw-tipped tool for boring holes.

How do you pronounce "gimlet"?

The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "gimlet" is /ˈɡɪm.lət/. 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 "gimlet"?

From Middle English gimlet etc., from Old French guinbelet, guimbelet, guibelet, probably a diminutive of the Anglo-Norman wimble, a variation of guimble (“drill”), from the Middle Low German wiemel; continued in New French as gibelet. Cocktail ei... 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 “gimlet”

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

The one correct English spelling is G-I-M-L-E-T - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
Say it as /ˈɡɪm.lət/ (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

Other uncommon English words near this rank

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.