mantelpiece

/ˈmæntlpiːs/

//ˈmæntlpiːs// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"mantelpiece" is a 11-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“mantelpiece” is uncommon English (frequency #56,267 among 36,575 “M” headwords), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#56,267
frequency rank, English
36,575
“M” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A shelf that is affixed to the wall above a fireplace.

Key facts for mantelpiece
PropertyValue
Headwordmantelpiece
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈmæntlpiːs/
Letters11
Frequency rank#56,267
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “mantelpiece” 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). mantelpiece lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

mantelpiece is uncommon English at frequency #56,267 among 36,575 “M” headwords, classed as anoun, transcribed /ˈmæntlpiːs/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. Gloss: "A shelf that is affixed to the wall above a fireplace.".

We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for mantelpiece, suggesting the orthography follows predictable English patterns. We don't track a confusable pairing for this entry, since nothing in our dataset looks or sounds close enough to cause mix-ups.

Etymologically, the entry records: From mantel + piece. The correct English form is mantelpiece, spelled M-A-N-T-E-L-P-I-E-C-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    A shelf that is affixed to the wall above a fireplace.

Etymology

From mantel + piece.

This word in other languages

repisa(Español)manteau de cheminée(Français)Kaminsims(Deutsch)

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 "mantelpiece"?
"mantelpiece" is spelled M-A-N-T-E-L-P-I-E-C-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈmæntlpiːs/.
What does "mantelpiece" mean?
As a noun, "mantelpiece" means: A shelf that is affixed to the wall above a fireplace.
How do you pronounce "mantelpiece"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "mantelpiece" is /ˈmæntlpiːs/. 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 "mantelpiece"?
From mantel + piece. 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 “mantelpiece”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is M-A-N-T-E-L-P-I-E-C-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈmæntlpiːs/ (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

Other uncommon English words near this rank

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