harpsichord

/ˈhɑː(ɹ)p.sɪ.kɔː(ɹ)d/

//ˈhɑː(ɹ)p.sɪ.kɔː(ɹ)d// noun

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

"harpsichord" is a 11-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“harpsichord” has 18 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #45,968. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#45,968
frequency rank, English
2,646
“H” headwords
18
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - A stringed musical instrument with a keyboard, the mechanical precusor to the fortepiano, in which each key causes a plectrum to pluck a corresponding tuned string, producing a bright, sharp tone s...

Corpus desk

Index EN-harpsichord · harpsichord · English

harpsichord · rank #45,968 · 18 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #45,968
  • LEN-MEGA 11 letters
  • VOW-3 3 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-HIGH 18 variants
  • BOOK-MID 2,646
  • PHOTO-FINISH hardwired

Nearest frequency peer: hardwired (-2 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 “harpsichord”

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

corpus weight

What this shows “harpsichord” 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 harpsichord
PropertyValue
Headwordharpsichord
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈhɑː(ɹ)p.sɪ.kɔː(ɹ)d/
Letters11
Frequency rank#45,968
Misspellings tracked18
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “harpsichord”

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right).harpsichordlands here:

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

Ticks step logarithmically, so each one marks a roughly tenfold drop in how often the word turns up. Same rarity band neighbours include “hardwired” (#45,966), “hashish” (#45,970), “Harbin” (#45,965). Among 2,646 “H” headwords, “harpsichord” is #45,968. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 18 spelling variants around harpsichord (IPA /ˈhɑː(ɹ)p.sɪ.kɔː(ɹ)d/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #45,968 among 2,646 “H” headwords. Dominant gloss: "A stringed musical instrument with a keyboard, the mechanical precusor to the fortepiano, in which each key causes a plectrum to pluck a corresponding tuned string, producing a bright, sharp tone s...".

Our generated misspelling index lists 18 likely wrong-spelling variants for harpsichord, with forms such as "ahrpsichord", "haprsichord", and "harpischord". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. We don't track a confusable pairing for this entry, suggesting its spelling stands apart enough that readers rarely confuse it with something else.

Etymologically, the entry records: Early 1600s, borrowed from French harpechord (“harp string”), from New Latin harpichordium, from harpa (“harp”) + chorda (“string”). Influenced by and possibly also borrowed from Italian arpicordo, producing variant spellings. The unetymological -s-, which … The correct English form is harpsichord, spelled H-A-R-P-S-I-C-H-O-R-D.

Definition

  1. 1
    A stringed musical instrument with a keyboard, the mechanical precusor to the fortepiano, in which each key causes a plectrum to pluck a corresponding tuned string, producing a bright, sharp tone similar to that of a harp.

Etymology

Early 1600s, borrowed from French harpechord (“harp string”), from New Latin harpichordium, from harpa (“harp”) + chorda (“string”). Influenced by and possibly also borrowed from Italian arpicordo, producing variant spellings. The unetymological -s-, which predominates by the 1660s, is of unclear origin.

This word in other languages

clave(Español)clavecin(Français)Spinett(Deutsch)cravo(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • ahrpsichord
  • haprsichord
  • harpischord
  • harppsichord
  • harpscihord
  • harpsicchord
  • harpsichhord
  • harpsichodr
  • harpsichordd
  • harpsichorrd
  • harpsichrod
  • harpsicohrd
  • harpsihcord
  • harpssichord
  • harrpsichord
  • harspichord
  • hharpsichord
  • hrapsichord

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of harpsichord - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

ahrpsichord2haprsichord2harpischord2harppsichord1harpscihord2harpsicchord1harpsichhord1harpsichodr2
Edit distance from "harpsichord"

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 "harpsichord"?
"harpsichord" is spelled H-A-R-P-S-I-C-H-O-R-D. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈhɑː(ɹ)p.sɪ.kɔː(ɹ)d/.
What does "harpsichord" mean?
As a noun, "harpsichord" means: A stringed musical instrument with a keyboard, the mechanical precusor to the fortepiano, in which each key causes a plectrum to pluck a corresponding tuned string, producing a bright, sharp tone s...
What are common misspellings of "harpsichord"?
Common misspellings include "ahrpsichord", "haprsichord", "harpischord", "harppsichord", "harpscihord". The correct spelling is "harpsichord".
How do you pronounce "harpsichord"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "harpsichord" is /ˈhɑː(ɹ)p.sɪ.kɔː(ɹ)d/. 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 "harpsichord"?
Early 1600s, borrowed from French harpechord (“harp string”), from New Latin harpichordium, from harpa (“harp”) + chorda (“string”). Influenced by and possibly also borrowed from Italian arpicordo, producing variant spellings. The unetymological -... 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 "harpsichord", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 11 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

gentlemanly#45,939irrelevance#45,998fantasizing#45,920languishing#46,021

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (18 here; floor ≥5).

Gesellschaft18 variantsmilitaristic18 variantsacceptability18 variantsstockholder18 variants

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list