nettle
/ˈnɛtəl/noun, verb
nettle is spelled N-E-T-T-L-E: 6 letters and 2 syllables. It appears about once in every 2 million words in written English, the 41,154th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a noun, nettle means “Most, but not all, subspecies of Urtica dioica (common nettle)” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). The plural of nettle is nettles.
How many letters and syllables are in nettle?
| Letters | 6: N-E-T-T-L-E |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 2 (from its American pronunciation) |
| In writing | about once in every 2 million words; the 41,154th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
| Same letters |
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); rhymes and same-letter words are computed by PlainSpell from its own word list.
How common is nettle?
Nettle appears about once in every 2 million words in written English, the 41,154th 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 nettle?
- /ˈnɛtəl/
- [ˈnɛɾəɫ]
Nettle 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-nettle.ogg, LL-Q1860_(eng)-Vealhurl-nettle.wav, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
What rhymes with nettle?
No other word on PlainSpell ends in the same sounds as nettle.
Spelled with the same letters in another order: telnet.
Computed by PlainSpell from the pronunciations in the English Wiktionary (dump of September 2, 2026): a rhyme shares every sound from the last stressed vowel to the end; ordered by written frequency (wordfreq 3.1).
Forms of nettle
- nettles plural, present, singular, he/she/it
- nettling participle, present
- nettled participle, past
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does nettle mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
noun
- 1
Most, but not all, subspecies of Urtica dioica (common nettle),
- 2
Urtica incisa (Australian nettle);
- 3
wood nettle (Laportea canadensis);
- 4
bull nettle, spurge nettle (Cnidoscolus stimulosus)
- 5
Texas bull nettle (Cnidoscolus texanus),
- 6
bull nettle (Cnidoscolus urens),
- 7
Various species of the genus Dendrocnide
- 8
small-leaved nettle (Dendrocnide photinophylla).
verb
- 1
Of the nettle plant and similar physical causes, to sting, causing a rash in someone.
The children were badly nettled after playing in the field.
- 2
To pique, irritate, vex or provoke.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Nettle in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | ortie , piquer, irriter , vexer |
| German | Nessel, Brennnessel , verbrennen, nesseln , ärgern, reizen |
| Portuguese | urtiga, ortiga , urtigar, ortigar, urticar , irritar |
| Spanish | ortiga , ortigar , hostigar , urticaria |
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 nettle come from?
From Middle English netle, netel, from Old English netle, netele, netel, from Proto-West Germanic *natilā (cognate with Old Saxon netila, Middle Dutch netele (modern Dutch netel), German Nessel, Middle Danish nædlæ (“nettle”)), a diminutive of Proto-Germanic *natǭ (of unknown origin, perhaps from the same source as net).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).