growler

/ˈɡɹaʊlə/

//ˈɡɹaʊlə// noun

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

The verdict

“growler” is an uncommon English word, ranked #54,815 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#54,815
frequency rank, English
7
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A person, creature or thing that growls.

Key facts for growler
PropertyValue
Headwordgrowler
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈɡɹaʊlə/
Letters7
Frequency rank#54,815
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “growler” 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). growler 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 growler is 7 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈɡɹaʊlə/. Corpus data places it at rank #54,815 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 8 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our edit-distance generator produced no likely misspellings for growler, a sign its spelling follows regular English conventions. This headword has no recorded confusable partner, which tends to mean the word is visually distinctive enough to stand on its own.

Etymologically, the entry records: From growl + -er. Sense "jug" is 19th century American slang, of uncertain origin. The correct English form is growler, spelled G-R-O-W-L-E-R.

Definition

  1. 1
    A person, creature or thing that growls.
  2. 2
    A horse-drawn cab with four wheels.
  3. 3
    A small iceberg or ice floe which is barely visible over the surface of the water.
  4. 4
    A kind of jug, often with a handle, used to carry beer and preserve carbonation.
  5. 5
    A pork pie.
  6. 6
    The vulva.
  7. 7
    A fish of the perch family, abundant in North American rivers, so named from the sound it emits.
  8. 8
    A device for checking electrical equipment for short circuits etc.

Etymology

From growl + -er. Sense "jug" is 19th century American slang, of uncertain origin.

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 "growler"?
"growler" is spelled G-R-O-W-L-E-R. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈɡɹaʊlə/.
What does "growler" mean?
As a noun, "growler" means: A person, creature or thing that growls.
How do you pronounce "growler"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "growler" is /ˈɡɹaʊlə/. 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 "growler"?
From growl + -er. Sense "jug" is 19th century American slang, of uncertain origin. 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 “growler”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is G-R-O-W-L-E-R - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈɡɹaʊlə/ (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
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