howler

/ˈhaʊlɚ/

//ˈhaʊlɚ// noun

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

"howler" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“howler” is an uncommon English word, ranked #52,386 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#52,386
frequency rank, English
6
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - That which howls, especially an animal such as a wolf or a howler monkey.

Key facts for howler
PropertyValue
Headwordhowler
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈhaʊlɚ/
Letters6
Frequency rank#52,386
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “howler” 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). howler 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 howler is 6 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈhaʊlɚ/. Corpus data places it at rank #52,386 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 12 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

howler has no tracked misspelling variants, a straightforward case of a spelling with little room for common typos. This entry stands alone in our confusable dataset, since its spelling is unusual enough that it doesn't cluster with a lookalike.

Etymologically, the entry records: From howl + -er. Some senses are derivatives of the intensifier "howling", as in "howling wilderness", (Deuteronomy 32:10) The correct English form is howler, spelled H-O-W-L-E-R.

Definition

  1. 1
    That which howls, especially an animal such as a wolf or a howler monkey.
  2. 2
    A person hired to howl in mourning at a funeral.
  3. 3
    A painfully obvious mistake.
  4. 4
    A hilarious joke.
  5. 5
    A bitterly cold day.
  6. 6
    A person who expresses aggression openly in the form of threats.
  7. 7
    A heavy fall.
  8. 8
    A serious accident (especially to come a howler or go a howler; compare come a cropper).
  9. 9
    A tremendous lie (especially an obvious one); a whopper.
  10. 10
    A fashionably but extravagantly overdressed man, a "howling swell".
  11. 11
    A 32-ounce ceramic, plastic, or stainless steel jug used to transport draft beer.
  12. 12
    A small child.

Etymology

From howl + -er. Some senses are derivatives of the intensifier "howling", as in "howling wilderness", (Deuteronomy 32:10)

This word in other languages

hurleur(Français)

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 "howler"?
"howler" is spelled H-O-W-L-E-R. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈhaʊlɚ/.
What does "howler" mean?
As a noun, "howler" means: That which howls, especially an animal such as a wolf or a howler monkey.
How do you pronounce "howler"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "howler" is /ˈhaʊlɚ/. 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 "howler"?
From howl + -er. Some senses are derivatives of the intensifier "howling", as in "howling wilderness", (Deuteronomy 32:10) 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 “howler”

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

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