mousetrap

/ˈmaʊsˌtɹæp/

//ˈmaʊsˌtɹæp// noun

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

"mousetrap" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“mousetrap” is uncommon English (frequency #65,323 among 36,575 “M” headwords), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#65,323
frequency rank, English
36,575
“M” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A device for capturing or killing mice and other rodents.

Key facts for mousetrap
PropertyValue
Headwordmousetrap
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈmaʊsˌtɹæp/
Letters9
Frequency rank#65,323
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “mousetrap” 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). mousetrap 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

mousetrap is uncommon English at frequency #65,323 among 36,575 “M” headwords, classed as anoun, transcribed /ˈmaʊsˌtɹæp/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 5 senses are on record.

We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for mousetrap, a sign its spelling follows regular English conventions. This headword has no recorded confusable partner, which tends to mean the word is visually distinctive enough to stand on its own.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English mouse-trappe, mous trappe, mouse trape, equivalent to mouse + trap. Cognate with Dutch muizetrap, muizentrap (“mousetrap”), German Low German Muustrappe, Muustrapp (“mousetrap”). In the Internet sense, refers to a computer mouse. The correct English form is mousetrap, spelled M-O-U-S-E-T-R-A-P.

Definition

  1. 1
    A device for capturing or killing mice and other rodents.
  2. 2
    A website designed to open another copy of itself when the user tries to close the webpage.
  3. 3
    Ordinary, everyday cheese.
  4. 4
    A slice of bread or toast topped with cheese and then grilled or microwaved.
  5. 5
    An antisubmarine rocket used mainly during World War II by the US Navy and US Coast Guard.

Etymology

From Middle English mouse-trappe, mous trappe, mouse trape, equivalent to mouse + trap. Cognate with Dutch muizetrap, muizentrap (“mousetrap”), German Low German Muustrappe, Muustrapp (“mousetrap”). In the Internet sense, refers to a computer mouse.

This word in other languages

ratonera(Español)souricière(Français)Mausefalle(Deutsch)ratoeira(Português)

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 "mousetrap"?
"mousetrap" is spelled M-O-U-S-E-T-R-A-P. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈmaʊsˌtɹæp/.
What does "mousetrap" mean?
As a noun, "mousetrap" means: A device for capturing or killing mice and other rodents.
How do you pronounce "mousetrap"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "mousetrap" is /ˈmaʊsˌtɹæp/. 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 "mousetrap"?
From Middle English mouse-trappe, mous trappe, mouse trape, equivalent to mouse + trap. Cognate with Dutch muizetrap, muizentrap (“mousetrap”), German Low German Muustrappe, Muustrapp (“mousetrap”). In the Internet sense, refers to a computer mouse. 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 “mousetrap”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is M-O-U-S-E-T-R-A-P - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈmaʊsˌtɹæp/ (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 FrequencyWords open word-frequency list