mantrap

noun

"mantrap" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“mantrap” is uncommon English (outside the top frequency list), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

Unranked
below top-frequency English
7
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - A mechanical device for catching trespassers.

Corpus desk

Index EN-mantrap · mantrap · English

mantrap · unranked · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-UNRANKED Unranked
  • LEN-LONG 7 letters
  • VOW-2 2 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-THIN "M" thin
  • PHOTO-UNK Peer pending

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Key facts for mantrap
PropertyValue
Headwordmantrap
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
Letters7
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “mantrap” in English

mantrapfalls outside the top-100,000 ranked English words, the long-tail zone of technical, archaic, or low-frequency vocabulary, exactly where readers second-guess spellings most.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

mantrap is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as anoun. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 3 senses are on record.

The misspelling generator found no plausible variants for mantrap, which points to an orthography that plays by predictable English rules. It is not paired with a close-neighbour confusable in our dataset, which tends to mean the word is visually distinctive enough to stand on its own.

Etymologically, the entry records: From man + trap. The correct English form is mantrap, spelled M-A-N-T-R-A-P.

Definition

  1. 1
    A mechanical device for catching trespassers.
  2. 2
    A small space with two sets of interlocking doors, such that the first set of doors must close before the second set opens, used to restrict access.
  3. 3
    A woman who is dangerously seductive to men.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how mantrap appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. A prevalent custom is the "pomali," exactly equivalent to the "taboo" of the Pacific islanders, and equally respected. It is used on the commonest occasions, and a few palm leaves stuck outside a garden as a sign of the "pomali" will preserve its produce from thieves as effectually as the threatening notice of man-traps, spring guns, or a savage dog would…
  2. The space had been cleared of landmines and mantraps.

Etymology

From man + trap.

Synonyms

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 "mantrap"?
"mantrap" is spelled M-A-N-T-R-A-P.
What does "mantrap" mean?
As a noun, "mantrap" means: A mechanical device for catching trespassers.
What is the origin of the word "mantrap"?
From man + trap. 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.

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list