hinterland

/ˈhɪntə(ɹ)ˌlænd/

//ˈhɪntə(ɹ)ˌlænd// noun

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

"hinterland" is a 10-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“hinterland” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #32,845 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#32,845
frequency rank, English
10
letters
16
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - The land immediately next to, and inland from, a coast.

Key facts for hinterland
PropertyValue
Headwordhinterland
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈhɪntə(ɹ)ˌlænd/
Letters10
Frequency rank#32,845
Misspellings tracked16
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “hinterland” 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). hinterland 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 hinterland is 10 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈhɪntə(ɹ)ˌlænd/. Corpus data places it at rank #32,845 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 6 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 16 likely wrong-spelling variants for hinterland, with forms such as "hhinterland", "hinetrland", and "hinnterland". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. This entry stands alone in our confusable dataset, since no other headword is close enough in sound or shape to pair with it.

Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowed from German Hinterland, from hinter (“behind”) + Land (“land”), cognate to English hinder (“back, rear”) + land. First used in English in 1888 by George Chisholm in his work Handbook of Commercial Geography originally as hinderland, but the current… The correct English form is hinterland, spelled H-I-N-T-E-R-L-A-N-D.

Definition

  1. 1
    The land immediately next to, and inland from, a coast.
  2. 2
    The rural territory surrounding an urban area, especially a port.
  3. 3
    A remote or undeveloped area.
  4. 4
    That which is unknown or unexplored about someone.
  5. 5
    An area of land far from the sea.
  6. 6
    Anything vague or ill-defined, especially something that is ill understood.

Etymology

Borrowed from German Hinterland, from hinter (“behind”) + Land (“land”), cognate to English hinder (“back, rear”) + land. First used in English in 1888 by George Chisholm in his work Handbook of Commercial Geography originally as hinderland, but the current spelling (following German) became more popular. The term is characteristic of a thalassocratic analysis of space (from the point of view of a nation with maritime supremacy, such as 19th-century Britain).

This word in other languages

arrière-pays(Français)Binnenland(Deutsch)sertão(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: hhinterland,hinetrland,hinnterland,hintelrand,hinteralnd,hinterladn,hinterlandd,hinterlannd,hinterlland,hinterlnad,hinterrland,hintreland,hintterland,hitnerland,hniterland,ihnterland

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

hhinterland1hinetrland2hinnterland1hintelrand2hinteralnd2hinterladn2hinterlandd1hinterlannd1
Edit distance from "hinterland"

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 "hinterland"?
"hinterland" is spelled H-I-N-T-E-R-L-A-N-D. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈhɪntə(ɹ)ˌlænd/.
What does "hinterland" mean?
As a noun, "hinterland" means: The land immediately next to, and inland from, a coast.
What are common misspellings of "hinterland"?
Common misspellings include "hhinterland", "hinetrland", "hinnterland", "hintelrand", "hinteralnd". The correct spelling is "hinterland".
How do you pronounce "hinterland"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "hinterland" is /ˈhɪntə(ɹ)ˌlænd/. 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 "hinterland"?
Borrowed from German Hinterland, from hinter (“behind”) + Land (“land”), cognate to English hinder (“back, rear”) + land. First used in English in 1888 by George Chisholm in his work Handbook of Commercial Geography originally as hinderland, but t... 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 “hinterland”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is H-I-N-T-E-R-L-A-N-D - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈhɪntə(ɹ)ˌlænd/ (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.

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list