osprey

/ˈɑspɹi/

//ˈɑspɹi// noun

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

"osprey" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“osprey” has 9 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #33,353. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#33,353
frequency rank, English
15,494
“O” headwords
9
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A bird of prey of genus Pandion that feeds on fish and has white underparts and long, narrow wings each ending in four finger-like extensions.

Key facts for osprey
PropertyValue
Headwordosprey
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈɑspɹi/
Letters6
Frequency rank#33,353
Misspellings tracked9
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “osprey” 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). osprey lands here:

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

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 9 spelling variants around osprey (IPA /ˈɑspɹi/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #33,353 among 15,494 “O” headwords. Wiktionary lists 2 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 9 likely wrong-spelling variants for osprey, with forms such as "opsrey", "ospery", and "ospprey". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. We don't track a confusable pairing for this entry, since no other headword is close enough in sound or shape to pair with it.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Late Middle English ospray, from Anglo-Norman ospriet, from Medieval Latin avis praedae (“bird of prey”), a generic term apparently confused with this specific bird in Old French on its similarity to ossifrage. The correct English form is osprey, spelled O-S-P-R-E-Y.

Definition

  1. 1
    A bird of prey of genus Pandion that feeds on fish and has white underparts and long, narrow wings each ending in four finger-like extensions.
  2. 2
    Aigrette (ornamental feather).

Etymology

From Late Middle English ospray, from Anglo-Norman ospriet, from Medieval Latin avis praedae (“bird of prey”), a generic term apparently confused with this specific bird in Old French on its similarity to ossifrage.

Synonyms

fish eaglefish hawkorfrayossifrageosspringer

This word in other languages

guincho(Español)balbuzard(Français)Fischadler(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • opsrey
  • ospery
  • ospprey
  • ospreyy
  • osprrey
  • osprye
  • osrpey
  • ossprey
  • soprey

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of osprey - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

opsrey2ospery2ospprey1ospreyy1osprrey1osprye2osrpey2ossprey1
Edit distance from "osprey"

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 "osprey"?
"osprey" is spelled O-S-P-R-E-Y. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈɑspɹi/.
What does "osprey" mean?
As a noun, "osprey" means: A bird of prey of genus Pandion that feeds on fish and has white underparts and long, narrow wings each ending in four finger-like extensions.
What are common misspellings of "osprey"?
Common misspellings include "opsrey", "ospery", "ospprey", "ospreyy", "osprrey". The correct spelling is "osprey".
How do you pronounce "osprey"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "osprey" is /ˈɑspɹi/. 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 "osprey"?
From Late Middle English ospray, from Anglo-Norman ospriet, from Medieval Latin avis praedae (“bird of prey”), a generic term apparently confused with this specific bird in Old French on its similarity to ossifrage. 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 “osprey”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is O-S-P-R-E-Y - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈɑspɹi/ (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

Same frequency band

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