knocker

Name: knocker, English Word Data
Creator: Wiktionary
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

noun

By PlainSpell Editorial Team · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) · analyzed May 6, 2026

The verdict

“knocker” is an uncommon English word, ranked #63,028 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#63,028
frequency rank, English: 7
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A device, usually hinged with a striking plate, used for knocking on a door.

Key facts for knocker
Property	Value
Headword	knocker
Language	English
Part of speech	Noun
Letters	7
Frequency rank	#63,028
Misspellings tracked	0
Confusable pairs	0
Source	Wiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “knocker” 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). knocker lands here:

#63,028

#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 knocker is 7 letters long, classified as a noun. Corpus data places it at rank #63,028 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 13 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

knocker has no tracked misspelling variants, a straightforward case of a spelling with little room for common typos. We don't track a confusable pairing for this entry, since no other headword is close enough in sound or shape to pair with it.

Etymologically, the entry records: From knock + -er. The correct English form is knocker, spelled K-N-O-C-K-E-R.

Definition

1
A device, usually hinged with a striking plate, used for knocking on a door.
2
A person who knocks.
3
A critic; one who disparages.
4
A person who knocks (denigrates) something.
5
A person's breast, especially if large.
6
A dwarf, goblin, or sprite imagined to dwell in mines and to indicate the presence of ore by knocking.
7
A mechanical device in a pinball table that produces a loud percussive noise.
8
A person who is strikingly handsome or otherwise admirable; a stunner.
9
A large cockroach, especially Blaberus giganteus, of semitropical America, which is able to produce a loud knocking sound.
10
A large, boulder-shaped outcrop of bedrock in an otherwise low-lying landscape, chiefly associated with a mélange.
11
One who defaults on payment of a wager.
12
A gun.
13
An undercover policeman.

Etymology

From knock + -er.

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 "knocker"?

"knocker" is spelled K-N-O-C-K-E-R.

What does "knocker" mean?

As a noun, "knocker" means: A device, usually hinged with a striking plate, used for knocking on a door.

What is the origin of the word "knocker"?

From knock + -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 “knocker”

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

The one correct English spelling is K-N-O-C-K-E-R - 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.