gremlin

/ˈɡɹɛmlɪn/

//ˈɡɹɛmlɪn// noun

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

"gremlin" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“gremlin” has 11 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #45,408. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#45,408
frequency rank, English
18,276
“G” headwords
11
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A contemptible person.

Key facts for gremlin
PropertyValue
Headwordgremlin
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈɡɹɛmlɪn/
Letters7
Frequency rank#45,408
Misspellings tracked11
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “gremlin” 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). gremlin 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 11 spelling variants around gremlin (IPA /ˈɡɹɛmlɪn/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #45,408 among 18,276 “G” headwords. Wiktionary lists 5 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 11 likely wrong-spelling variants for gremlin, with forms such as "germlin", "ggremlin", and "grelmin". 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 confusable-pair dataset has no match for it, suggesting its spelling stands apart enough that readers rarely confuse it with something else.

Etymologically, the entry records: Uncertain; the following etymologies have been suggested: * A variant of goblin. * From Irish gruaimín (“gloomy little person”); or from Dutch gremmelen (“to soil, stain; to spoil”), or griemelen, grimmelen (“(obsolete) to abound, teem; to swarm”), but acco… The correct English form is gremlin, spelled G-R-E-M-L-I-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    A contemptible person.
  2. 2
    An imaginary creature reputed to be mischievously inclined, for example, to damage or dismantle machinery.
  3. 3
    Any mysterious, unknown source of mischief or trouble, or the problem created thereby.
  4. 4
    A young, inexperienced surfer or skateboarder, regarded as a nuisance.
  5. 5
    A person regarded as similar to a fictional gremlin, in particular: mischievous, troublesome, short, or annoying.

Etymology

Uncertain; the following etymologies have been suggested: * A variant of goblin. * From Irish gruaimín (“gloomy little person”); or from Dutch gremmelen (“to soil, stain; to spoil”), or griemelen, grimmelen (“(obsolete) to abound, teem; to swarm”), but according to the Oxford English Dictionary there is little evidence for such derivations. The word was popularized, especially in the United States, by the children’s novel The Gremlins (1943) by the British author Roald Dahl (1916–1990), in which gremlins sabotage Royal Air Force aircraft in revenge for the destruction of their forest home to make way for an aircraft factory; the creatures later join forces with the British to fight the Nazis.

This word in other languages

Kobold(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • germlin
  • ggremlin
  • grelmin
  • gremiln
  • gremlinn
  • gremllin
  • gremlni
  • gremmlin
  • grmelin
  • grremlin
  • rgemlin

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

germlin2ggremlin1grelmin2gremiln2gremlinn1gremllin1gremlni2gremmlin1
Edit distance from "gremlin"

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 "gremlin"?
"gremlin" is spelled G-R-E-M-L-I-N. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈɡɹɛmlɪn/.
What does "gremlin" mean?
As a noun, "gremlin" means: A contemptible person.
What are common misspellings of "gremlin"?
Common misspellings include "germlin", "ggremlin", "grelmin", "gremiln", "gremlinn". The correct spelling is "gremlin".
How do you pronounce "gremlin"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "gremlin" is /ˈɡɹɛmlɪn/. 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 "gremlin"?
Uncertain; the following etymologies have been suggested: * A variant of goblin. * From Irish gruaimín (“gloomy little person”); or from Dutch gremmelen (“to soil, stain; to spoil”), or griemelen, grimmelen (“(obsolete) to abound, teem; to swarm”)... 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 “gremlin”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is G-R-E-M-L-I-N - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈɡɹɛmlɪn/ (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