handsel
/ˈhænd.səl/noun, verb
handsel is spelled H-A-N-D-S-E-L: 7 letters and 2 syllables. It appears about once in every 72 million words in written English, the 269,040th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a noun, handsel means “A gift given at New Year, or at the start of some enterprise or new situation, meant to ensure good luck” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). The plural of handsel is handsels.
How many letters and syllables are in handsel?
| Letters | 7: H-A-N-D-S-E-L |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 2 (from its pronunciation) |
| In writing | about once in every 72 million words; the 269,040th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How common is handsel?
Handsel appears about once in every 72 million words in written English, the 269,040th most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce handsel?
- UK /ˈhænd.səl/
- UK /ˈhæn.səl/
Handsel has 2 syllables (counted from the pronunciation).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: LL-Q1860_(eng)-Vealhurl-handsel.wav, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
Forms of handsel
- handsels plural, present, singular, he/she/it
- handsale
- handsell
- hansel
- handseling US, participle, present
- handselling UK, participle, present
- handseled US, participle, past
- handselled UK, participle, past
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does handsel mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
noun
- 1
obsoleteA lucky omen.
- 2
A gift given at New Year, or at the start of some enterprise or new situation, meant to ensure good luck.
- 3
archaicPrice, payment; especially the first installment of a series.
verb
- 1
To give a handsel to.
- 2
To inaugurate by means of some ceremony; to break in.
- 3
To use or do for the first time, especially so as to make fortunate or unfortunate; to try experimentally.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Handsel in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
In the sense gift given at New Year:
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | étrennes |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does handsel come from?
From Middle English handsell, hanselle, from Old English handselen and/or Old Norse handsal (literally “hand-gift”). Cognate with Scots hansel, Danish handsel.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).