headset

/ˈhɛdsɛt/

//ˈhɛdsɛt// noun

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

"headset" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“headset” has 10 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #14,134. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#14,134
frequency rank, English
2,646
“H” headwords
10
tracked misspellings
7
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - A pair of headphones or earphones, or a singular headphone or earphone, typically with an attached microphone.

Corpus desk

Index EN-headset · headset · English

headset · rank #14,134 · 10 variants · 7 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #14,134
  • LEN-LONG 7 letters
  • VOW-3 3 vowels
  • CONFUS-MID 7 pairs
  • VAR-MID 10 variants
  • BOOK-MID 2,646
  • PHOTO-FINISH hazel

Nearest frequency peer: hazel (-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 “headset”

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

corpus weight

What this shows “headset” 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

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

headset vs Hearst
57% similar
headset vs hearse
71% similar
headset vs headshot
75% similar

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

Key facts for headset
PropertyValue
Headwordheadset
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈhɛdsɛt/
Letters7
Frequency rank#14,134
Misspellings tracked10
Confusable pairs7
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “headset”

This scale runs from the tiny cluster of words that carry ordinary speech (left) to the long tail of words almost nobody reaches for (right).headsetlands 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 “hazel” (#14,133), “Hernandez” (#14,135), “Hayden” (#14,132). Among 2,646 “H” headwords, “headset” is #14,134. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 10 spelling variants around headset (IPA /ˈhɛdsɛt/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #14,134 among 2,646 “H” headwords. Wiktionary lists 4 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 10 likely wrong-spelling variants for headset, with forms such as "ehadset", "haedset", and "headdset". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 7 confusable-pair relationships, "Hearst", "hearse", "headshot", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: From head + set. The correct English form is headset, spelled H-E-A-D-S-E-T.

Definition

  1. 1
    A pair of headphones or earphones, or a singular headphone or earphone, typically with an attached microphone.
  2. 2
    Any electronic device worn on the head.
  3. 3
    On a bicycle, the system of bearings that connects the fork to the frame.
  4. 4
    A mindset.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. If you've just acquired a Google Glass headset for £1,000, don't show it off at the movies. UK cinemas are to ban the headsets over fears that the gadgets can be used to make pirate copies of Hollywood blockbusters.
  2. One member has this whole collection of 50s rockabilly by women. Like the blues, the lyrics reflect the headset of the time, so of course it's not all "non-sexist." But it's a great record, really connected to the roots of rock 'n roll.

Etymology

From head + set.

This word in other languages

casco(Español)casque(Français)Headset(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • ehadset
  • haedset
  • headdset
  • headest
  • headsett
  • headsset
  • headste
  • heasdet
  • hedaset
  • hheadset

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

ehadset2haedset2headdset1headest2headsett1headsset1headste2heasdet2
Edit distance from "headset"

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 "headset"?
"headset" is spelled H-E-A-D-S-E-T. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈhɛdsɛt/.
What does "headset" mean?
As a noun, "headset" means: A pair of headphones or earphones, or a singular headphone or earphone, typically with an attached microphone.
What words are commonly confused with "headset"?
"headset" is commonly confused with "Hearst", "hearse", "headshot". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "headset"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "headset" is /ˈhɛdsɛt/. 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 "headset"?
From head + set. 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 "headset", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 7 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

hurdles#14,138Hussein#14,139Gujarat#14,128indulge#14,142

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (10 here; floor ≥5).

ensuing10 variantsdialect10 variantsdeferred10 variantsmethane10 variants

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list