nuthatch

/ˈnʌtˌhæt͡ʃ/

//ˈnʌtˌhæt͡ʃ// noun

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

"nuthatch" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“nuthatch” is uncommon English (frequency #95,202 among 1,534 “N” headwords), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#95,202
frequency rank, English
1,534
“N” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - Any of various small passerine birds from the genus Sitta, found throughout the northern hemisphere and noted for their unusual proclivity for climbing down trees head first.

Corpus desk

Index EN-nuthatch · nuthatch · English

nuthatch · rank #95,202 · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-RARE #95,202
  • LEN-LONG 8 letters
  • VOW-2 2 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-MID 1,534
  • PHOTO-FINISH numinous

Nearest frequency peer: numinous (-2 rank slots)

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.

Long-tail ranks near “nuthatch”

Sparse band: bars invert rank so rarer forms read shorter

corpus weight

What this shows Long-tail view: where “nuthatch” sits against similarly uncommon English ranks.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for nuthatch
PropertyValue
Headwordnuthatch
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈnʌtˌhæt͡ʃ/
Letters8
Frequency rank#95,202
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “nuthatch” in English

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right).nuthatchfalls in this rarity band:

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

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Rare peers in the same band: “numinous” (#95,200), “nuclease” (#95,199), “OAG” (#95,205). Among 1,534 “N” headwords, “nuthatch” is #95,202. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

nuthatch is uncommon English at frequency #95,202 among 1,534 “N” headwords, classed as anoun, transcribed /ˈnʌtˌhæt͡ʃ/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. Gloss: "Any of various small passerine birds from the genus Sitta, found throughout the northern hemisphere and noted for their unusual proclivity for climbing down trees head first.".

We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for nuthatch, typically a sign the spelling maps closely to how the word sounds. This headword has no recorded confusable partner, suggesting its spelling stands apart enough that readers rarely confuse it with something else.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English nutthache, notehache, nuthake, nuttehake, nothak, equivalent to nut + hatch. Compare English nutcracker. The correct English form is nuthatch, spelled N-U-T-H-A-T-C-H.

Definition

  1. 1
    Any of various small passerine birds from the genus Sitta, found throughout the northern hemisphere and noted for their unusual proclivity for climbing down trees head first.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. Nuthatches have rather a habit of entering houses through open windows, probably out of curiosity; and we owed to this habit a pet nuthatch, which became extremely tame, and used to take flies from our finger.
  2. The bird was in very faded plumage with only a slight rusty wash to the underparts, and had I not heard the call, I might have mistaken it for a Pygmy Nuthatch.

Etymology

From Middle English nutthache, notehache, nuthake, nuttehake, nothak, equivalent to nut + hatch. Compare English nutcracker.

Synonyms

nuthackernutjobbernutpecker

This word in other languages

sita(Español)sittelle(Français)Kleiber(Deutsch)trepadeira(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 "nuthatch"?
"nuthatch" is spelled N-U-T-H-A-T-C-H. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈnʌtˌhæt͡ʃ/.
What does "nuthatch" mean?
As a noun, "nuthatch" means: Any of various small passerine birds from the genus Sitta, found throughout the northern hemisphere and noted for their unusual proclivity for climbing down trees head first.
How do you pronounce "nuthatch"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "nuthatch" is /ˈnʌtˌhæt͡ʃ/. 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 "nuthatch"?
From Middle English nutthache, notehache, nuthake, nuttehake, nothak, equivalent to nut + hatch. Compare English nutcracker. 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.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "nuthatch", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 8 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

numinous#95,200nuclease#95,199novation#95,197pashmina#95,243

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list