headwind

Name: headwind, English Word Data
Creator: Wiktionary
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

/ˈhɛdˌwɪnd/

//ˈhɛdˌwɪnd// noun

By PlainSpell · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) · analyzed May 6, 2026

The verdict

“headwind” is uncommon English (frequency #66,715 among 23,837 “H” headwords), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#66,715
frequency rank, English: 23,837
“H” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A wind that blows directly against the course of a vehicle, like an aircraft, train, or ship.

Key facts for headwind
Property	Value
Headword	headwind
Language	English
Part of speech	Noun
IPA	/ˈhɛdˌwɪnd/
Letters	8
Frequency rank	#66,715
Misspellings tracked	0
Confusable pairs	0
Source	Wiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “headwind” 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). headwind lands here:

#66,715

#1#100#1K#10K#100K

← used constantlyrarely used →

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

Rare enough to double-check

headwind is uncommon English at frequency #66,715 among 23,837 “H” headwords, classed as anoun, transcribed /ˈhɛdˌwɪnd/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 2 senses are on record.

headwind doesn't appear in our generated misspelling index, which points to an orthography that plays by predictable English rules. We don't track a confusable pairing for this entry, which typically means the spelling is too distinctive to be mistaken for another word.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English *hedwind, from Old English hēafodwind, equivalent to head + wind. Cognate with Old Norse höfuðvindr. The correct English form is headwind, spelled H-E-A-D-W-I-N-D.

Definition

1
A wind that blows directly against the course of a vehicle, like an aircraft, train, or ship.
2
A strong force that impedes or reverses progress.

Etymology

From Middle English *hedwind, from Old English hēafodwind, equivalent to head + wind. Cognate with Old Norse höfuðvindr.

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 "headwind"?

"headwind" is spelled H-E-A-D-W-I-N-D. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈhɛdˌwɪnd/.

What does "headwind" mean?

As a noun, "headwind" means: A wind that blows directly against the course of a vehicle, like an aircraft, train, or ship.

How do you pronounce "headwind"?

The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "headwind" is /ˈhɛdˌwɪnd/. 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 "headwind"?

From Middle English *hedwind, from Old English hēafodwind, equivalent to head + wind. Cognate with Old Norse höfuðvindr. 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 “headwind”

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

The one correct English spelling is H-E-A-D-W-I-N-D - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
Say it as /ˈhɛdˌwɪnd/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words

Other uncommon English words near this rank

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.