lordship

/ˈlɔːd.ʃɪp/

//ˈlɔːd.ʃɪp// noun

"lordship" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“lordship” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #19,888 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#19,888
frequency rank, English
8
letters
13
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - The state or condition of being a lord.

Key facts for lordship
PropertyValue
Headwordlordship
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈlɔːd.ʃɪp/
Letters8
Frequency rank#19,888
Misspellings tracked13
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “lordship” 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). lordship 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 lordship is 8 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈlɔːd.ʃɪp/. Corpus data places it at rank #19,888 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 5 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 13 likely wrong-spelling variants for lordship, with forms such as "llordship", "lodrship", and "lorddship". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. No close-neighbour confusable shows up for this headword 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: From Middle English lordshipe, laverdschipe, from Old English hlāfordsċiepe, equivalent to lord + -ship. Cognate with Scots lairdschip. Piecewise doublet of lairdship. The correct English form is lordship, spelled L-O-R-D-S-H-I-P.

Definition

  1. 1
    The state or condition of being a lord.
  2. 2
    Title applied to a lord, bishop, judge, or another man with a title.
  3. 3
    A man (sometimes a boy) who is behaving in a seigneurial manner or acting like a lord, behaving in a bossy manner or lording it up
  4. 4
    Seigniory; domain; the territory over which a lord holds jurisdiction; a manor.
  5. 5
    Dominion; power; authority.

Etymology

From Middle English lordshipe, laverdschipe, from Old English hlāfordsċiepe, equivalent to lord + -ship. Cognate with Scots lairdschip. Piecewise doublet of lairdship.

This word in other languages

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: llordship,lodrship,lorddship,lordhsip,lordshhip,lordshipp,lordshpi,lordsihp,lordsship,lorrdship,lorsdhip,lrodship,olrdship

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of lordship - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

llordship1lodrship2lorddship1lordhsip2lordshhip1lordshipp1lordshpi2lordsihp2
Edit distance from "lordship"

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 "lordship"?
"lordship" is spelled L-O-R-D-S-H-I-P. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈlɔːd.ʃɪp/.
What does "lordship" mean?
As a noun, "lordship" means: The state or condition of being a lord.
What are common misspellings of "lordship"?
Common misspellings include "llordship", "lodrship", "lorddship", "lordhsip", "lordshhip". The correct spelling is "lordship".
How do you pronounce "lordship"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "lordship" is /ˈlɔːd.ʃɪp/. 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 "lordship"?
From Middle English lordshipe, laverdschipe, from Old English hlāfordsċiepe, equivalent to lord + -ship. Cognate with Scots lairdschip. Piecewise doublet of lairdship. 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 “lordship”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is L-O-R-D-S-H-I-P - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈlɔːd.ʃɪp/ (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.

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list