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” has 16 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #32,845. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#32,845
frequency rank, English
2,646
“H” headwords
16
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - The land immediately next to, and inland from, a coast.

Corpus desk

Index EN-hinterland · hinterland · English

hinterland · rank #32,845 · 16 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #32,845
  • LEN-MEGA 10 letters
  • VOW-3 3 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-HIGH 16 variants
  • BOOK-MID 2,646
  • PHOTO-FINISH hilt

Nearest frequency peer: hilt (-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 “hinterland”

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

corpus weight

What this shows “hinterland” 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
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)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “hinterland”

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right).hinterlandlands here:

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

Ticks step logarithmically, so each one marks a roughly tenfold drop in how often the word turns up. Same rarity band neighbours include “hilt” (#32,844), “hoh” (#32,846), “Highlander” (#32,843). Among 2,646 “H” headwords, “hinterland” is #32,845. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 16 spelling variants around hinterland (IPA /ˈhɪntə(ɹ)ˌlænd/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #32,845 among 2,646 “H” headwords. Wiktionary lists 6 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

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.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. In West Wales it has never been possible until recently to exploit the magnificent natural harbour of Milford Haven, for there was no industrial hinterland.
  2. In the film, Hanks is a veteran traversing the Texas hinterlands during the Reconstruction period when he stumbles upon a lost young white girl (Helena Zengel) who only speaks Kiowa, and is forced to undergo a dangerous journey to bring the orphan to her family.

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.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "hinterland", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 10 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

Highlander#32,843infatuated#32,861infighting#32,863infraction#32,865

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (16 here; floor ≥5).

infatuation16 variantsinsecticide16 variantsfacilitator16 variantsmatrimonial16 variants

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list