headshot

noun

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

The verdict

“headshot” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #32,430 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#32,430
frequency rank, English
8
letters
12
tracked misspellings
1
confusable pair

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A portrait for branding or social media.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

headshot vs headset
75% similar

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

Key facts for headshot
PropertyValue
Headwordheadshot
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
Letters8
Frequency rank#32,430
Misspellings tracked12
Confusable pairs1
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “headshot” 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). headshot lands here:

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

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for headshot is 8 letters long, classified as a noun. Corpus data places it at rank #32,430 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 3 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 12 likely wrong-spelling variants for headshot, with forms such as "ehadshot", "haedshot", and "headdshot". 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, "headset", a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

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

Definition

  1. 1
    A portrait for branding or social media.
  2. 2
    A gunshot to the head.
  3. 3
    A one-page, double-sided resume of an actor, consisting of the actor's photograph (usually of the head and shoulders) on one side and their curriculum vitae on the other.

Etymology

From head + shot.

This word in other languages

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: ehadshot,haedshot,headdshot,headhsot,headshhot,headshott,headshto,headsoht,headsshot,heasdhot,hedashot,hheadshot

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

ehadshot2haedshot2headdshot1headhsot2headshhot1headshott1headshto2headsoht2
Edit distance from "headshot"

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 "headshot"?
"headshot" is spelled H-E-A-D-S-H-O-T.
What does "headshot" mean?
As a noun, "headshot" means: A portrait for branding or social media.
What words are commonly confused with "headshot"?
"headshot" is commonly confused with "headset". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
What is the origin of the word "headshot"?
From head + shot. 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 “headshot”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is H-E-A-D-S-H-O-T - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Don't mix it up with “headset” - see the side-by-side comparison. headshot vs headset
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
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