horsepower

/ˈhɔɹsˌpaʊɚ/

//ˈhɔɹsˌpaʊɚ// noun

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

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

The verdict

“horsepower” has 15 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #15,189. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#15,189
frequency rank, English
23,837
“H” headwords
15
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Power derived from the motion of a horse.

Key facts for horsepower
PropertyValue
Headwordhorsepower
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈhɔɹsˌpaʊɚ/
Letters10
Frequency rank#15,189
Misspellings tracked15
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “horsepower” 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). horsepower lands here:

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

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

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 15 spelling variants around horsepower (IPA /ˈhɔɹsˌpaʊɚ/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #15,189 among 23,837 “H” headwords. Wiktionary lists 4 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 15 likely wrong-spelling variants for horsepower, with forms such as "hhorsepower", "horespower", and "horrsepower". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. Our dataset records no confusable match here, which tends to mean the word is visually distinctive enough to stand on its own.

Etymologically, the entry records: From horse + power: the unit was originally defined as the amount of power that a horse could provide. Both non-metric and metric units of power were derived from effectively identical measurements of the power a draught horse could sustain over several hou… The correct English form is horsepower, spelled H-O-R-S-E-P-O-W-E-R.

Definition

  1. 1
    Power derived from the motion of a horse.
  2. 2
    A nonmetric unit of power with various definitions, commonly the mechanical horsepower, approximately equal to 745.7 watts.
  3. 3
    Metric horsepower, a metric unit approximately equal to 735.5 watts.
  4. 4
    Strength, performance capability, specs, or similar.

Etymology

From horse + power: the unit was originally defined as the amount of power that a horse could provide. Both non-metric and metric units of power were derived from effectively identical measurements of the power a draught horse could sustain over several hours, with the difference in watts solely due to different rounding errors to express that power in round numbers in the original non-SI units (ft·lbf/min and kgf⋅m/s respectively).

This word in other languages

cheval-vapeur(Français)Pferdestärke(Deutsch)cavalo-vapor(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • hhorsepower
  • horespower
  • horrsepower
  • horseopwer
  • horsepoewr
  • horsepowerr
  • horsepowre
  • horsepowwer
  • horseppower
  • horsepwoer
  • horspeower
  • horssepower
  • hosrepower
  • hrosepower
  • ohrsepower

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of horsepower - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

hhorsepower1horespower2horrsepower1horseopwer2horsepoewr2horsepowerr1horsepowre2horsepowwer1
Edit distance from "horsepower"

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 "horsepower"?
"horsepower" is spelled H-O-R-S-E-P-O-W-E-R. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈhɔɹsˌpaʊɚ/.
What does "horsepower" mean?
As a noun, "horsepower" means: Power derived from the motion of a horse.
What are common misspellings of "horsepower"?
Common misspellings include "hhorsepower", "horespower", "horrsepower", "horseopwer", "horsepoewr". The correct spelling is "horsepower".
How do you pronounce "horsepower"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "horsepower" is /ˈhɔɹsˌpaʊɚ/. 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 "horsepower"?
From horse + power: the unit was originally defined as the amount of power that a horse could provide. Both non-metric and metric units of power were derived from effectively identical measurements of the power a draught horse could sustain over s... 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 “horsepower”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is H-O-R-S-E-P-O-W-E-R - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈhɔɹsˌpaʊɚ/ (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

Same frequency band

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