leaden
/ˈlɛdən/adjective, verb
leaden is spelled L-E-A-D-E-N: 6 letters and 2 syllables. It appears about once in every 4 million words in written English, the 59,387th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As an adjective, leaden means “Resembling the color of lead, metallic or dark gray; (of daylight) dim, overcast” (English Wiktionary, September 2026).
How many letters and syllables are in leaden?
| Letters | 6: L-E-A-D-E-N |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 2 (from its American pronunciation) |
| In writing | about once in every 4 million words; the 59,387th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation and the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How common is leaden?
Leaden appears about once in every 4 million words in written English, the 59,387th most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce leaden?
- /ˈlɛdən/
Leaden has 2 syllables (counted from its American pronunciation in the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: LL-Q1860_(eng)-Vealhurl-leaden.wav, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
Forms of leaden
- more leaden comparative
- most leaden superlative
- leadens present, singular, he/she/it
- leadening participle, present
- leadened participle, past
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does leaden mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
adjective
- 1
archaicMade of lead.
- 2
Resembling the color of lead, metallic or dark gray; (of daylight) dim, overcast.
The sky was dark and overcast, a leaden pall producing a deep gloom.
- 3
Resembling the density of lead, heavy.
Which break a teachless nature to the yoke.
- 4
Resembling the ponderousness of lead, sluggish.
verb
- 1
To make or become dull or overcast.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Leaden in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does leaden come from?
From Middle English leden, leaden, from Old English lēaden (“leaden, of lead”). Cognate with West Frisian leaden (“leaden”), Dutch loden (“leaden”). By surface analysis, lead + -en.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).