on edge
"on-edge" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“on edge” is outside the top-ranked English vocabulary, used as a prep_phrase - the kind of word writers most often double-check.
- Unranked
- below top-frequency English
- 7
- letters
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Tense, nervous; consequently irritable.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | on edge |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Prep_phrase |
| Letters | 7 |
| Misspellings tracked | 0 |
| Confusable pairs | 0 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Where “on edge” sits in English frequency
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
The English entry for on edge is 7 letters long, classified as a prep_phrase. It sits outside the most-frequent rank tiers, which is often why uncommon words generate more spelling variants per reader. The dominant gloss from Wiktionary reads: "Tense, nervous; consequently irritable.".
Zero misspellings are on record for on edge in our index, since its letter sequence doesn't invite the usual edit-distance slips. We don't track a confusable pairing for this entry, which typically means the spelling is too distinctive to be mistaken for another word.
Our source data has no etymology on file for this entry, so its spelling pattern is best understood through pronunciation rather than a traceable origin. The correct English form is on edge, spelled O-N- -E-D-G-E.
Definition
- 1Tense, nervous; consequently irritable.
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
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Using “on edge”
The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.
- The one correct English spelling is O-N- -E-D-G-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
- 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.