petticoat

/ˈpɛt.ɪ.kəʊt/

//ˈpɛt.ɪ.kəʊt// noun

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

"petticoat" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“petticoat” has 11 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #45,582. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#45,582
frequency rank, English
46,516
“P” headwords
11
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A tight, usually padded undercoat worn by women over a shirt and under the doublet.

Key facts for petticoat
PropertyValue
Headwordpetticoat
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈpɛt.ɪ.kəʊt/
Letters9
Frequency rank#45,582
Misspellings tracked11
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “petticoat” 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). petticoat 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 11 spelling variants around petticoat (IPA /ˈpɛt.ɪ.kəʊt/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #45,582 among 46,516 “P” headwords. Wiktionary lists 7 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 11 likely wrong-spelling variants for petticoat, with forms such as "eptticoat", "peticoat", and "petitcoat". 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. Our dataset records no confusable match here, which tends to mean the word is visually distinctive enough to stand on its own.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English petticote, petycote, peticote, petite cote, equivalent to petty + coat. The correct English form is petticoat, spelled P-E-T-T-I-C-O-A-T.

Definition

  1. 1
    A tight, usually padded undercoat worn by women over a shirt and under the doublet.
  2. 2
    A woman's undercoat, worn to be displayed beneath an open gown.
  3. 3
    A fisherman's loose canvas or oilcloth skirt.
  4. 4
    A type of ornamental skirt or underskirt, often displayed below a dress; chiefly in plural, designating a woman's skirts collectively.
  5. 5
    A light woman's undergarment worn under a dress or skirt, and hanging either from the shoulders or (now especially) from the waist; a kind of slip, worn to make the skirt fuller, or for extra warmth.
  6. 6
    A woman.
  7. 7
    A bell-mouthed piece over the exhaust nozzles in the smokebox of a locomotive, strengthening and equalising the draught through the boiler-tubes.

Etymology

From Middle English petticote, petycote, peticote, petite cote, equivalent to petty + coat.

Synonyms

underskirt

This word in other languages

enaguas(Español)cotillon(Français)Petticoat(Deutsch)anágua(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • eptticoat
  • peticoat
  • petitcoat
  • pettcioat
  • petticaot
  • petticcoat
  • petticoatt
  • petticota
  • pettiocat
  • ppetticoat
  • pteticoat

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of petticoat - 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.

eptticoat2peticoat1petitcoat2pettcioat2petticaot2petticcoat1petticoatt1petticota2
Edit distance from "petticoat"

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 "petticoat"?
"petticoat" is spelled P-E-T-T-I-C-O-A-T. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈpɛt.ɪ.kəʊt/.
What does "petticoat" mean?
As a noun, "petticoat" means: A tight, usually padded undercoat worn by women over a shirt and under the doublet.
What are common misspellings of "petticoat"?
Common misspellings include "eptticoat", "peticoat", "petitcoat", "pettcioat", "petticaot". The correct spelling is "petticoat".
How do you pronounce "petticoat"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "petticoat" is /ˈpɛt.ɪ.kəʊt/. 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 "petticoat"?
From Middle English petticote, petycote, peticote, petite cote, equivalent to petty + coat. 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 “petticoat”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is P-E-T-T-I-C-O-A-T - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈpɛt.ɪ.kəʊt/ (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