headband

/ˈhɛdˌbænd/

//ˈhɛdˌbænd// noun

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

"headband" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“headband” has 12 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #28,945. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#28,945
frequency rank, English
23,837
“H” headwords
12
tracked misspellings
1
confusable pair

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A strip of fabric worn around the head.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

headband vs headland
88% similar

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

Key facts for headband
PropertyValue
Headwordheadband
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈhɛdˌbænd/
Letters8
Frequency rank#28,945
Misspellings tracked12
Confusable pairs1
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “headband” 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). headband 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 12 spelling variants around headband (IPA /ˈhɛdˌbænd/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #28,945 among 23,837 “H” headwords. Wiktionary lists 4 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 12 likely wrong-spelling variants for headband, with forms such as "ehadband", "haedband", and "heabdand". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. It also participates in 1 confusable-pair relationship, "headland", where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English *hedband, from Old English hēafodbænd, hēafodbend (“headband”), equivalent to head + band. Cognate with Old High German houbitbant (“headband”), Dutch hoofdband (“headband”). The correct English form is headband, spelled H-E-A-D-B-A-N-D.

Definition

  1. 1
    A strip of fabric worn around the head.
  2. 2
    A hair accessory, made of a flexible material and curved like a horseshoe, for holding one's hair back.
  3. 3
    A strip of fabric attached to the top of the spine of a book; used as decoration and reinforcement.
  4. 4
    A thin slip of iron on the tympan of a printing press.

Etymology

From Middle English *hedband, from Old English hēafodbænd, hēafodbend (“headband”), equivalent to head + band. Cognate with Old High German houbitbant (“headband”), Dutch hoofdband (“headband”).

Synonyms

Alice bandfillet

This word in other languages

vincha(Español)bandeau(Français)Stirnband(Deutsch)cabeçada(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • ehadband
  • haedband
  • heabdand
  • headabnd
  • headbadn
  • headbandd
  • headbannd
  • headbband
  • headbnad
  • headdband
  • hedaband
  • hheadband

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

ehadband2haedband2heabdand2headabnd2headbadn2headbandd1headbannd1headbband1
Edit distance from "headband"

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 "headband"?
"headband" is spelled H-E-A-D-B-A-N-D. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈhɛdˌbænd/.
What does "headband" mean?
As a noun, "headband" means: A strip of fabric worn around the head.
What words are commonly confused with "headband"?
"headband" is commonly confused with "headland". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "headband"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "headband" is /ˈhɛdˌbænd/. 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 "headband"?
From Middle English *hedband, from Old English hēafodbænd, hēafodbend (“headband”), equivalent to head + band. Cognate with Old High German houbitbant (“headband”), Dutch hoofdband (“headband”). 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 “headband”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is H-E-A-D-B-A-N-D - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈhɛdˌbænd/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “headland” - see the side-by-side comparison. headband vs headland
  • 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 FrequencyWords open word-frequency list