hidebound
/ˈhaɪd.baʊnd/
"hidebound" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“hidebound” is outside the top-ranked English vocabulary, used as an adjective - the kind of word writers most often double-check.
- Unranked
- below top-frequency English
- 9
- letters
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Bound with the hide of an animal.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | hidebound |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Adjective |
| IPA | /ˈhaɪd.baʊnd/ |
| Letters | 9 |
| Misspellings tracked | 0 |
| Confusable pairs | 0 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Where “hidebound” sits in English frequency
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
The English entry for hidebound is 9 letters long, classified as an adjective, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈhaɪd.baʊnd/. It sits outside the most-frequent rank tiers, which is often why uncommon words generate more spelling variants per reader. Wiktionary records 5 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.
hidebound has no tracked misspelling variants, since its letter sequence doesn't invite the usual edit-distance slips. This headword has no recorded confusable partner, which tends to mean the word is visually distinctive enough to stand on its own.
Etymologically, the entry records: From hide (“animal skin”, noun) + bound (“tied”, adjective). The correct English form is hidebound, spelled H-I-D-E-B-O-U-N-D.
Definition
- 1Bound with the hide of an animal.
- 2Having the skin adhering so closely to the ribs and back as not to be easily loosened or raised; emaciated.
- 3Having the bark so close and constricting that it impedes the growth.
- 4Stubborn; narrow-minded; inflexible.
- 5Niggardly; penurious; stingy.
Etymology
From hide (“animal skin”, noun) + bound (“tied”, adjective).
This word in other languages
Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Using “hidebound”
The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.
- The one correct English spelling is H-I-D-E-B-O-U-N-D - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
- Say it as /ˈhaɪd.baʊnd/ (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
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.