lean-to
/ˈliːnˌtuː/
"lean-to" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“lean-to” is outside the top-ranked English vocabulary, used as a noun - the kind of word writers most often double-check.
- Unranked
- below top-frequency English
- 7
- letters
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A shelter with a sloped roof; also a building with a similar construction attached to the side of a building as an extension.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | lean-to |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Noun |
| IPA | /ˈliːnˌtuː/ |
| Letters | 7 |
| Misspellings tracked | 0 |
| Confusable pairs | 0 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Where “lean-to” sits in English frequency
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
The English entry for lean-to is 7 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈliːnˌtuː/. It sits outside the most-frequent rank tiers, which is often why uncommon words generate more spelling variants per reader. The dominant gloss from Wiktionary reads: "A shelter with a sloped roof; also a building with a similar construction attached to the side of a building as an extension.".
lean-to doesn't appear in our generated misspelling index, and the word's spelling is regular enough that our generator found nothing worth flagging. It is not paired with a close-neighbour confusable in our dataset, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.
Etymologically, the entry records: First attested 1461. The correct English form is lean-to, spelled L-E-A-N---T-O.
Definition
- 1A shelter with a sloped roof; also a building with a similar construction attached to the side of a building as an extension.
Etymology
First attested 1461.
Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you spell "lean-to"?
What does "lean-to" mean?
How do you pronounce "lean-to"?
What is the origin of the word "lean-to"?
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Using “lean-to”
The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.
- The one correct English spelling is L-E-A-N---T-O - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
- Say it as /ˈliːnˌtuː/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
- 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.