in cold blood
"in-cold-blood" is a 11-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“in cold blood” is uncommon English (outside the top frequency list), classed as a prep_phrase. The kind of spelling people second-guess.
- Unranked
- below top-frequency English
- 13
- letters
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - In a ruthless and unfeeling manner, particularly as applied to first-degree murder committed without provocation and with malice aforethought.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | in cold blood |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Prep_phrase |
| Letters | 13 |
| Misspellings tracked | 0 |
| Confusable pairs | 0 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Where “in cold blood” sits in English frequency
Rare enough to double-check
in cold blood is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as aprep_phrase. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. Gloss: "In a ruthless and unfeeling manner, particularly as applied to first-degree murder committed without provocation and with malice aforethought.".
The misspelling generator found no plausible variants for in cold blood, and the word's spelling is regular enough that our generator found nothing worth flagging. We don't track a confusable pairing for this entry, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.
Etymologically, the entry records: From a specialized meaning of cold, referring to lack of empathy. The correct English form is in cold blood, spelled I-N- -C-O-L-D- -B-L-O-O-D.
Definition
- 1In a ruthless and unfeeling manner, particularly as applied to first-degree murder committed without provocation and with malice aforethought.
Etymology
From a specialized meaning of cold, referring to lack of empathy.
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
How do you spell "in cold blood"?
What does "in cold blood" mean?
What is the origin of the word "in cold blood"?
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Using “in cold blood”
The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.
- The one correct English spelling is I-N- -C-O-L-D- -B-L-O-O-D - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
- 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.