killer

/ˈkɪlə(ɹ)/

//ˈkɪlə(ɹ)// noun

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

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

The verdict

“killer” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #3,176 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#3,176
frequency rank, English
6
letters
7
tracked misspellings
12
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - One who or that which kills.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

killer vs kills
67% similar
killer vs kinder
67% similar
killer vs Kohler
50% similar

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

Key facts for killer
PropertyValue
Headwordkiller
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈkɪlə(ɹ)/
Letters6
Frequency rank#3,176
Misspellings tracked7
Confusable pairs12
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “killer” 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). killer 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 killer is 6 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈkɪlə(ɹ)/. Corpus data places it at rank #3,176 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 9 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 7 likely wrong-spelling variants for killer, with forms such as "ikller", "kilelr", and "kiler". 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 12 confusable-pair relationships, "kills", "kinder", "Kohler", and more, since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English killer, kyller. By surface analysis, kill + -er. The correct English form is killer, spelled K-I-L-L-E-R.

Definition

  1. 1
    One who or that which kills.
  2. 2
    That which causes stress or is extremely difficult, especially that which may cause failure at a task.
  3. 3
    Something that is so far ahead of its competition that it effectively kills off that competition.
  4. 4
    A remarkably impressive person or thing.
  5. 5
    A knockout form of darts or pool involving several players.
  6. 6
    Ellipsis of killer whale.
  7. 7
    A club used for killing fish.
  8. 8
    A particularly heavy type of handstamp, or portion of one, often obscuring a large part of the postage stamp.
  9. 9
    Synonym of virama (“kind of diacritical mark”).

Etymology

From Middle English killer, kyller. By surface analysis, kill + -er.

Synonyms

homicidehomiciderkiller

Antonyms

healerlife giver

This word in other languages

asesino(Español)tueur(Français)Töter(Deutsch)homicida(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: ikller,kilelr,kiler,killerr,killre,kkiller,kliler

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of killer - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

ikller2kilelr2kiler1killerr1killre2kkiller1kliler2
Edit distance from "killer"

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 "killer"?
"killer" is spelled K-I-L-L-E-R. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈkɪlə(ɹ)/.
What does "killer" mean?
As a noun, "killer" means: One who or that which kills.
What words are commonly confused with "killer"?
"killer" is commonly confused with "kills", "kinder", "Kohler". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "killer"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "killer" is /ˈkɪlə(ɹ)/. 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 "killer"?
From Middle English killer, kyller. By surface analysis, kill + -er. 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 “killer”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is K-I-L-L-E-R - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈkɪlə(ɹ)/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “kills” - see the side-by-side comparison. killer vs kills
  • 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