manhole
/ˈmænhəʊl/noun
manhole is spelled M-A-N-H-O-L-E: 7 letters and 2 syllables. It appears about once in every 2 million words in written English, the 39,336th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a noun, manhole means “A hole in the ground used to access the sewers or other underground vaults and installations” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). The plural of manhole is manholes.
How many letters and syllables are in manhole?
| Letters | 7: M-A-N-H-O-L-E |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 2 (from its American pronunciation) |
| In writing | about once in every 2 million words; the 39,336th 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 manhole?
Manhole appears about once in every 2 million words in written English, the 39,336th 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 manhole?
- UK /ˈmænhəʊl/
Manhole 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: En-us-manhole.ogg, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
Words people confuse with manhole
Also written: man-hole (one word or two).
Sources: English Wiktionary (homophones, alternative spellings).
Forms of manhole
- manholes plural
- man hole
- man-hole
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does manhole mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
noun
- 1
A hole in the ground used to access the sewers or other underground vaults and installations.
- 2
A hole providing access to the inside of a boiler, tank etc.
- 3
informalThe anus of man, in a sexual context.
For quotations using this term, see Citations:manhole.
- 4
The vulva or vagina of a trans man.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Manhole in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
In the sense a hole in the ground used to access the sewers or other underground vaults and i:
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | regard d'égout, trou d'homme |
| German | Mannloch, Kontrollschacht, Einstiegsloch, Gully |
| Portuguese | bueiro, poço de visita |
| Spanish | (boca de) alcantarilla |
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 manhole come from?
From man + hole.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).