overslaugh

/ˈəʊ.vəɹˌslɔː/

//ˈəʊ.vəɹˌslɔː// noun

"overslaugh" is a 10-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

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

Unranked
below top-frequency English
10
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - A barrier in a river.

Corpus desk

Index EN-overslaugh · overslaugh · English

overslaugh · unranked · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-UNRANKED Unranked
  • LEN-MEGA 10 letters
  • VOW-4 4 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-THIN "O" thin
  • PHOTO-UNK Peer pending

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.

Key facts for overslaugh
PropertyValue
Headwordoverslaugh
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈəʊ.vəɹˌslɔː/
Letters10
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “overslaugh” in English

overslaughsits beyond the 100,000 most-frequent English words, in the long tail of technical, archaic, or otherwise rare vocabulary where spelling doubt tends to strike hardest.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

overslaugh is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as anoun, transcribed /ˈəʊ.vəɹˌslɔː/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 2 senses are on record.

Our edit-distance generator produced no likely misspellings for overslaugh, a sign its spelling follows regular English conventions. No confusable counterpart is on file for this word, a sign it's visually distinctive enough not to be mixed up with another word.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Dutch overslag, from Dutch overslaan. The correct English form is overslaugh, spelled O-V-E-R-S-L-A-U-G-H.

Definition

  1. 1
    A barrier in a river.
  2. 2
    The permission to skip a duty; an exemption from an active duty.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. Let him look at the plan of 1832, to which the act of 1834 refers, and upon which it is founded, and he will find that it contains detailed estimates of the expense of clearing out not only the overslaugh, but also the obstructions between Albany and Troy.
  2. The opening in dike No. 1 at the overslaugh was completed with the exception of deepening the cut, which could only be done at midsummer.

Etymology

From Dutch overslag, from Dutch overslaan.

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 "overslaugh"?
"overslaugh" is spelled O-V-E-R-S-L-A-U-G-H. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈəʊ.vəɹˌslɔː/.
What does "overslaugh" mean?
As a noun, "overslaugh" means: A barrier in a river.
How do you pronounce "overslaugh"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "overslaugh" is /ˈəʊ.vəɹˌslɔː/. 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 "overslaugh"?
From Dutch overslag, from Dutch overslaan. 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.

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list