keyhole

/ˈkiˌhoʊl/

//ˈkiˌhoʊl// noun

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

"keyhole" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“keyhole” has 10 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #35,800. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#35,800
frequency rank, English
1,236
“K” headwords
10
tracked misspellings
1
confusable pair

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - The hole in a lock where the key is inserted and turns.

Corpus desk

Index EN-keyhole · keyhole · English

keyhole · rank #35,800 · 10 variants · 1 confusable

  • FREQ-MID #35,800
  • LEN-LONG 7 letters
  • VOW-4 4 vowels
  • CONFUS-LOW 1 pairs
  • VAR-MID 10 variants
  • BOOK-MID 1,236
  • PHOTO-FINISH Kendal

Nearest frequency peer: Kendal (-2 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 “keyhole”

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

corpus weight

What this shows “keyhole” 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

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

keyhole vs keynote
71% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for keyhole
PropertyValue
Headwordkeyhole
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈkiˌhoʊl/
Letters7
Frequency rank#35,800
Misspellings tracked10
Confusable pairs1
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “keyhole”

This scale runs from the tiny cluster of words that carry ordinary speech (left) to the long tail of words almost nobody reaches for (right).keyholelands 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 “Kendal” (#35,798), “katana” (#35,797), “knighted” (#35,803). Among 1,236 “K” headwords, “keyhole” is #35,800. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 10 spelling variants around keyhole (IPA /ˈkiˌhoʊl/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #35,800 among 1,236 “K” headwords. Wiktionary lists 10 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 10 likely wrong-spelling variants for keyhole, with forms such as "ekyhole", "kehyole", and "keyhhole". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 1 confusable-pair relationship, "keynote", a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: From key + hole. The correct English form is keyhole, spelled K-E-Y-H-O-L-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    The hole in a lock where the key is inserted and turns.
  2. 2
    Any small opening resembling the hole for a key in shape or function; especially, one that gives a vista of, or access to, a space beyond.
  3. 3
    Any small opening resembling the hole for a key in shape or function; especially, one that gives a vista of, or access to, a space beyond.
  4. 4
    A circle cut out of a garment as a decorative effect, typically at the front or back neckline of a dress.
  5. 5
    A hole or excavation in beams intended to be joined together, to receive the key that fastens them.
  6. 6
    A mortise for a key or cotter.
  7. 7
    A transient column of vapor or plasma formed when using high energy beams, such as lasers, for welding or cutting.
  8. 8
    A welding method in which a hole forms in the surface immediately ahead of the puddle in the direction of welding. The hole is filled as the weld progresses.
  9. 9
    The free-throw lane together with the circle surrounding the free-throw line; key.
  10. 10
    A gravitational keyhole.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. laser keyhole welding
  2. keyhole plasma

Etymology

From key + hole.

This word in other languages

bocallave(Español)trou de la serrure(Français)Schlüsselloch(Deutsch)fechadura(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • ekyhole
  • kehyole
  • keyhhole
  • keyhloe
  • keyhoel
  • keyholle
  • keyohle
  • keyyhole
  • kkeyhole
  • kyehole

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

ekyhole2kehyole2keyhhole1keyhloe2keyhoel2keyholle1keyohle2keyyhole1
Edit distance from "keyhole"

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 "keyhole"?
"keyhole" is spelled K-E-Y-H-O-L-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈkiˌhoʊl/.
What does "keyhole" mean?
As a noun, "keyhole" means: The hole in a lock where the key is inserted and turns.
What words are commonly confused with "keyhole"?
"keyhole" is commonly confused with "keynote". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "keyhole"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "keyhole" is /ˈkiˌhoʊl/. 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 "keyhole"?
From key + hole. 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 "keyhole", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 7 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

jitters#35,793Lachlan#35,807Melania#35,828melanin#35,829

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (10 here; floor ≥5).

muttered10 variantshypoxia10 variantsNeilson10 variantsHartmann10 variants

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list