harlequin

/ˈhɑːlɪkwɪn/

//ˈhɑːlɪkwɪn// noun

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

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

The verdict

“harlequin” has 13 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #34,513. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#34,513
frequency rank, English
2,646
“H” headwords
13
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - A pantomime fool, typically dressed in colorful checkered clothes, used as a stock character in commedia dell'arte and other genres.

Corpus desk

Index EN-harlequin · harlequin · English

harlequin · rank #34,513 · 13 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #34,513
  • LEN-LONG 9 letters
  • VOW-4 4 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-HIGH 13 variants
  • BOOK-MID 2,646
  • PHOTO-FINISH halts

Nearest frequency peer: halts (-1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “harlequin”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “harlequin” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for harlequin
PropertyValue
Headwordharlequin
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈhɑːlɪkwɪn/
Letters9
Frequency rank#34,513
Misspellings tracked13
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “harlequin”

Word frequency stretches from the small set of words we reach for constantly (left) out to the long tail barely used once in a while (right).harlequinlands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

The axis is logarithmic, with each marked tick roughly ten times rarer than the last. Same rarity band neighbours include “halts” (#34,512), “Harwood” (#34,514), “habitually” (#34,511). Among 2,646 “H” headwords, “harlequin” is #34,513. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 13 spelling variants around harlequin (IPA /ˈhɑːlɪkwɪn/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #34,513 among 2,646 “H” headwords. Wiktionary lists 4 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 13 likely wrong-spelling variants for harlequin, with forms such as "ahrlequin", "halrequin", and "harelquin". 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. This headword has no recorded confusable partner, since no other headword is close enough in sound or shape to pair with it.

Etymologically, the entry records: From earlier Harlicken, from Middle French Harlequin (in Italian Arlecchino, the name of a popular servant character in commedia dell'arte plays), from Old French Harlequin, Halequin, Herlequin, Hellequin, Hierlekin, Hellekin (a demon, malevolent spirit), p… The correct English form is harlequin, spelled H-A-R-L-E-Q-U-I-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    A pantomime fool, typically dressed in colorful checkered clothes, used as a stock character in commedia dell'arte and other genres.
  2. 2
    A greenish-chartreuse color.
  3. 3
    A harlequin duck.
  4. 4
    Any of various riodinid butterflies of the genera Taxila and Praetaxila.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how harlequin appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. […] were certainly the worst and dullest company into which an audience was ever introduced; and (which was a secret known to few) were actually intended so to be, in order to contrast the comic part of the entertainment, and to display the tricks of harlequin to the better advantage.
  2. Motives are like harlequins—there is always a second dress beneath their first.

Etymology

From earlier Harlicken, from Middle French Harlequin (in Italian Arlecchino, the name of a popular servant character in commedia dell'arte plays), from Old French Harlequin, Halequin, Herlequin, Hellequin, Hierlekin, Hellekin (a demon, malevolent spirit), probably of Germanic origin, connected to the Old English figure of *Herla Cyning (“King Herla”, a mythical figure identified with Woden) or possibly to Old Frisian helle kin, Old English helle cyn, Old Norse heljar kyn (“the kindred of Hell”). Related to Middle English Hurlewain (“a mischievous sprite or goblin”).

This word in other languages

arlequín(Español)arlequin(Français)Harlekin(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • ahrlequin
  • halrequin
  • harelquin
  • harleqiun
  • harleqquin
  • harlequinn
  • harlequni
  • harleuqin
  • harllequin
  • harlqeuin
  • harrlequin
  • hharlequin
  • hralequin

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of harlequin - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

ahrlequin2halrequin2harelquin2harleqiun2harleqquin1harlequinn1harlequni2harleuqin2
Edit distance from "harlequin"

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 "harlequin"?
"harlequin" is spelled H-A-R-L-E-Q-U-I-N. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈhɑːlɪkwɪn/.
What does "harlequin" mean?
As a noun, "harlequin" means: A pantomime fool, typically dressed in colorful checkered clothes, used as a stock character in commedia dell'arte and other genres.
What are common misspellings of "harlequin"?
Common misspellings include "ahrlequin", "halrequin", "harelquin", "harleqiun", "harleqquin". The correct spelling is "harlequin".
How do you pronounce "harlequin"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "harlequin" is /ˈhɑːlɪkwɪn/. 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 "harlequin"?
From earlier Harlicken, from Middle French Harlequin (in Italian Arlecchino, the name of a popular servant character in commedia dell'arte plays), from Old French Harlequin, Halequin, Herlequin, Hellequin, Hierlekin, Hellekin (a demon, malevolent ... 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.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "harlequin", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 9 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

glassware#34,505garibaldi#34,497indignant#34,539infertile#34,541

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (13 here; floor ≥5).

habitually13 variantsilliteracy13 variantsfentanyl13 variantsEvansville13 variants

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list