kindle

/ˈkɪn.dəl/

//ˈkɪn.dəl// verb

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

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

The verdict

“kindle” has 9 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #9,490. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#9,490
frequency rank, English
1,236
“K” headwords
9
tracked misspellings
8
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - To start (a fire) or light (a torch, a match, coals, etc.).

Corpus desk

Index EN-kindle · kindle · English

kindle · rank #9,490 · 9 variants · 8 confusables

  • FREQ-COMMON #9,490
  • LEN-LONG 6 letters
  • VOW-2 2 vowels
  • CONFUS-MID 8 pairs
  • VAR-MID 9 variants
  • BOOK-MID 1,236
  • PHOTO-FINISH Jill

Nearest frequency peer: Jill (-1 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 “kindle”

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

corpus weight

What this shows “kindle” 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).

kindle vs kinds
67% similar
kindle vs kindly
83% similar
kindle vs kindred
71% similar

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

Key facts for kindle
PropertyValue
Headwordkindle
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ˈkɪn.dəl/
Letters6
Frequency rank#9,490
Misspellings tracked9
Confusable pairs8
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “kindle”

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right).kindlelands here:

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

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Same rarity band neighbours include “Jill” (#9,489), “lid” (#9,491), “Lindsay” (#9,492). Among 1,236 “K” headwords, “kindle” is #9,490. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 9 spelling variants around kindle (IPA /ˈkɪn.dəl/), averb. Corpus frequency is #9,490 among 1,236 “K” headwords. Wiktionary lists 3 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 9 likely wrong-spelling variants for kindle, with forms such as "ikndle", "kidnle", and "kinddle". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. It also participates in 8 confusable-pair relationships, "kinds", "kindly", "kindred", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English kyndelen, from Old Norse kynda (“to inflame”), from Proto-Germanic *kundijaną. The correct English form is kindle, spelled K-I-N-D-L-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    To start (a fire) or light (a torch, a match, coals, etc.).
  2. 2
    To arouse or inspire (a passion, etc).
  3. 3
    To begin to grow or take hold.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. If a person kindle a fire in the house of another person, let him pay for the house to the owner, if it be burned.
  2. And then it was that I first perceived the danger in which I stood; for there was no hope of kindling a light, and I doubted now whether even in the light I could ever have done much to dislodge the great slab of slate.

Etymology

From Middle English kyndelen, from Old Norse kynda (“to inflame”), from Proto-Germanic *kundijaną.

Synonyms

alightconflagratefirefire upigniteinflamekindlelightlight upset ablazeset afireset aflameset alightset fireset on firetorch

Antonyms

douseextinguishput outquench

This word in other languages

encender(Español)allumer(Français)anzünden(Deutsch)acender(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • ikndle
  • kidnle
  • kinddle
  • kindel
  • kindlle
  • kinlde
  • kinndle
  • kkindle
  • knidle

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

ikndle2kidnle2kinddle1kindel2kindlle1kinlde2kinndle1kkindle1
Edit distance from "kindle"

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 "kindle"?
"kindle" is spelled K-I-N-D-L-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈkɪn.dəl/.
What does "kindle" mean?
As a verb, "kindle" means: To start (a fire) or light (a torch, a match, coals, etc.).
What words are commonly confused with "kindle"?
"kindle" is commonly confused with "kinds", "kindly", "kindred". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "kindle"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "kindle" is /ˈkɪn.dəl/. 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 "kindle"?
From Middle English kyndelen, from Old Norse kynda (“to inflame”), from Proto-Germanic *kundijaną. 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 "kindle", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 6 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

melody#9,496Forbes#9,470dubbed#9,460ribbon#9,527

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (9 here; floor ≥5).

mirrors9 variantsEleanor9 variantsdioxide9 variantscuisine9 variants

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list