payload

/ˈpeɪloʊd/

//ˈpeɪloʊd// noun

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

"payload" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“payload” has 10 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #18,153. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#18,153
frequency rank, English
4,417
“P” headwords
10
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - That part of a cargo that produces revenue.

Corpus desk

Index EN-payload · payload · English

payload · rank #18,153 · 10 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #18,153
  • LEN-LONG 7 letters
  • VOW-4 4 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-MID 10 variants
  • BOOK-MID 4,417
  • PHOTO-FINISH pathological

Nearest frequency peer: pathological (-1 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.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “payload”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “payload” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for payload
PropertyValue
Headwordpayload
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈpeɪloʊd/
Letters7
Frequency rank#18,153
Misspellings tracked10
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “payload”

This scale runs from the tiny cluster of words that carry ordinary speech (left) to the long tail of words almost nobody reaches for (right).payloadlands here:

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

Ticks step logarithmically, so each one marks a roughly tenfold drop in how often the word turns up. Same rarity band neighbours include “pathological” (#18,152), “payout” (#18,154), “pasture” (#18,151). Among 4,417 “P” headwords, “payload” is #18,153. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 10 spelling variants around payload (IPA /ˈpeɪloʊd/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #18,153 among 4,417 “P” headwords. Wiktionary lists 5 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 10 likely wrong-spelling variants for payload, with forms such as "apyload", "palyoad", and "paylaod". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. Our dataset records no confusable match here, since its spelling is unusual enough that it doesn't cluster with a lookalike.

Etymologically, the entry records: From pay + load. From the early 20th century. The correct English form is payload, spelled P-A-Y-L-O-A-D.

Definition

  1. 1
    That part of a cargo that produces revenue.
  2. 2
    The total weight of passengers, crew, equipment, and cargo carried by an aircraft or spacecraft.
  3. 3
    That part of a rocket, missile, propelled stinger, or torpedo that is not concerned with propulsion or guidance, such as a warhead or satellite.
  4. 4
    The functional part of a computer virus or another type of malware program, rather than the part that spreads it.
  5. 5
    The actual data in a data stream.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. 1990, Dave Mustaine, "Rust in Peace... Polaris", Megadeth, Rust in Peace. I spread disease like a dog / Discharge my payload a mile high / Rotten egg air of death wrestles your nostrils
  2. Vendors must also describe to the Air Force whether they have experience integrating the device with payloads from other businesses, if they are capable of supporting flight test operations and working with ground support equipment and how soon the capability can be delivered. “Thrust Vector control must be included as a control methodology,” the service…

Etymology

From pay + load. From the early 20th century.

This word in other languages

fret(Français)Nutzlast(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • apyload
  • palyoad
  • paylaod
  • paylload
  • payloadd
  • payloda
  • payolad
  • payyload
  • ppayload
  • pyaload

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of payload - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

apyload2palyoad2paylaod2paylload1payloadd1payloda2payolad2payyload1
Edit distance from "payload"

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 "payload"?
"payload" is spelled P-A-Y-L-O-A-D. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈpeɪloʊd/.
What does "payload" mean?
As a noun, "payload" means: That part of a cargo that produces revenue.
What are common misspellings of "payload"?
Common misspellings include "apyload", "palyoad", "paylaod", "paylload", "payloadd". The correct spelling is "payload".
How do you pronounce "payload"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "payload" is /ˈpeɪloʊd/. 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 "payload"?
From pay + load. From the early 20th century. 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 "payload", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 7 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

pasture#18,151parcels#18,150overrun#18,149pigeons#18,158

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (10 here; floor ≥5).

Neptune10 variantsrevisit10 variantssensual10 variantssixties10 variants

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list