gutter

/ˈɡʌt.ə/

//ˈɡʌt.ə// noun

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

"gutter" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“gutter” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #17,624 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#17,624
frequency rank, English
6
letters
7
tracked misspellings
10
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A prepared channel in a surface, especially at the side of a road adjacent to a curb, intended for the drainage of water.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

gutter vs guitar
67% similar
gutter vs gotten
67% similar
gutter vs gather
67% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for gutter
PropertyValue
Headwordgutter
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈɡʌt.ə/
Letters6
Frequency rank#17,624
Misspellings tracked7
Confusable pairs10
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “gutter” 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). gutter 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 gutter is 6 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈɡʌt.ə/. Corpus data places it at rank #17,624 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 13 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 7 likely wrong-spelling variants for gutter, with forms such as "ggutter", "gtuter", and "guter". 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. It also participates in 10 confusable-pair relationships, "guitar", "gotten", "gather", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English gutter, guttur, goter, from Anglo-Norman guttere, from Old French goutiere (French gouttière), ultimately from Latin gutta (“drop”). The correct English form is gutter, spelled G-U-T-T-E-R.

Definition

  1. 1
    A prepared channel in a surface, especially at the side of a road adjacent to a curb, intended for the drainage of water.
  2. 2
    A ditch along the side of a road.
  3. 3
    A duct or channel beneath the eaves of a building to carry rain water; eavestrough.
  4. 4
    A groove down the sides of a bowling lane.
  5. 5
    A large groove (commonly behind animals) in a barn used for the collection and removal of animal excrement.
  6. 6
    Any narrow channel or groove, such as one formed by erosion in the vent of a gun from repeated firing.
  7. 7
    A space between printed columns of text.
  8. 8
    One of a number of pieces of wood or metal, grooved in the centre, used to separate the pages of type in a form.
  9. 9
    An unprinted space between rows of stamps.
  10. 10
    A drainage channel.
  11. 11
    The notional locus of things, acts, or events that are distasteful, ill-bred, or morally questionable.
  12. 12
    A low, vulgar state.
  13. 13
    A space between comic strip panels.

Etymology

From Middle English gutter, guttur, goter, from Anglo-Norman guttere, from Old French goutiere (French gouttière), ultimately from Latin gutta (“drop”).

This word in other languages

desagüe(Español)caniveau(Français)Gosse(Deutsch)valeta(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: ggutter,gtuter,guter,gutetr,gutterr,guttre,ugtter

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

ggutter1gtuter2guter1gutetr2gutterr1guttre2ugtter2
Edit distance from "gutter"

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 "gutter"?
"gutter" is spelled G-U-T-T-E-R. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈɡʌt.ə/.
What does "gutter" mean?
As a noun, "gutter" means: A prepared channel in a surface, especially at the side of a road adjacent to a curb, intended for the drainage of water.
What words are commonly confused with "gutter"?
"gutter" is commonly confused with "guitar", "gotten", "gather". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "gutter"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "gutter" is /ˈɡʌt.ə/. 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 "gutter"?
From Middle English gutter, guttur, goter, from Anglo-Norman guttere, from Old French goutiere (French gouttière), ultimately from Latin gutta (“drop”). 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 “gutter”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is G-U-T-T-E-R - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈɡʌt.ə/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “guitar” - see the side-by-side comparison. gutter vs guitar
  • 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