gunpowder

/ˈɡʌnˌpaʊdə/

//ˈɡʌnˌpaʊdə// noun

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

"gunpowder" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“gunpowder” has 14 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #20,656. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#20,656
frequency rank, English
18,276
“G” headwords
14
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - An explosive mixture of saltpetre (potassium nitrate), charcoal and sulfur; formerly used in gunnery but now mostly used in fireworks.

Key facts for gunpowder
PropertyValue
Headwordgunpowder
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈɡʌnˌpaʊdə/
Letters9
Frequency rank#20,656
Misspellings tracked14
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “gunpowder” 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). gunpowder 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 14 spelling variants around gunpowder (IPA /ˈɡʌnˌpaʊdə/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #20,656 among 18,276 “G” headwords. Wiktionary lists 2 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 14 likely wrong-spelling variants for gunpowder, with forms such as "ggunpowder", "gnupowder", and "gunnpowder". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. 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: From gun + powder. The correct English form is gunpowder, spelled G-U-N-P-O-W-D-E-R.

Definition

  1. 1
    An explosive mixture of saltpetre (potassium nitrate), charcoal and sulfur; formerly used in gunnery but now mostly used in fireworks.
  2. 2
    Ellipsis of gunpowder tea.

Etymology

From gun + powder.

This word in other languages

pólvora(Español)poudre à canon(Français)Schießpulver(Deutsch)pólvora(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • ggunpowder
  • gnupowder
  • gunnpowder
  • gunopwder
  • gunpodwer
  • gunpowdder
  • gunpowderr
  • gunpowdre
  • gunpowedr
  • gunpowwder
  • gunppowder
  • gunpwoder
  • gupnowder
  • ugnpowder

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of gunpowder - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

ggunpowder1gnupowder2gunnpowder1gunopwder2gunpodwer2gunpowdder1gunpowderr1gunpowdre2
Edit distance from "gunpowder"

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 "gunpowder"?
"gunpowder" is spelled G-U-N-P-O-W-D-E-R. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈɡʌnˌpaʊdə/.
What does "gunpowder" mean?
As a noun, "gunpowder" means: An explosive mixture of saltpetre (potassium nitrate), charcoal and sulfur; formerly used in gunnery but now mostly used in fireworks.
What are common misspellings of "gunpowder"?
Common misspellings include "ggunpowder", "gnupowder", "gunnpowder", "gunopwder", "gunpodwer". The correct spelling is "gunpowder".
How do you pronounce "gunpowder"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "gunpowder" is /ˈɡʌnˌpaʊdə/. 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 "gunpowder"?
From gun + powder. 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 “gunpowder”

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

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