nightclothes

/ˈnaɪt.kləʊ(ð)z/

//ˈnaɪt.kləʊ(ð)z// noun

"nightclothes" is a 12-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

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

Unranked
below top-frequency English
12
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Clothing worn while sleeping in bed, such as pyjamas or a nightgown, and, when worn over nightclothes, a robe.

Key facts for nightclothes
PropertyValue
Headwordnightclothes
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈnaɪt.kləʊ(ð)z/
Letters12
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “nightclothes” sits in English frequency

nightclothes falls 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

nightclothes is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as anoun, transcribed /ˈnaɪt.kləʊ(ð)z/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. Gloss: "Clothing worn while sleeping in bed, such as pyjamas or a nightgown, and, when worn over nightclothes, a robe.".

nightclothes has no tracked misspelling variants, which points to an orthography that plays by predictable English rules. This headword has no recorded confusable partner, a sign it's visually distinctive enough not to be mixed up with another word.

Etymologically, the entry records: From night + clothes. The correct English form is nightclothes, spelled N-I-G-H-T-C-L-O-T-H-E-S.

Definition

  1. 1
    Clothing worn while sleeping in bed, such as pyjamas or a nightgown, and, when worn over nightclothes, a robe.

Etymology

From night + clothes.

This word in other languages

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 "nightclothes"?
"nightclothes" is spelled N-I-G-H-T-C-L-O-T-H-E-S. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈnaɪt.kləʊ(ð)z/.
What does "nightclothes" mean?
As a noun, "nightclothes" means: Clothing worn while sleeping in bed, such as pyjamas or a nightgown, and, when worn over nightclothes, a robe.
How do you pronounce "nightclothes"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "nightclothes" is /ˈnaɪt.kləʊ(ð)z/. 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 "nightclothes"?
From night + clothes. 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 “nightclothes”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is N-I-G-H-T-C-L-O-T-H-E-S - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈnaɪt.kləʊ(ð)z/ (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
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