pigeonhole

/ˈpɪdʒ(ɪ)nhəʊl/

//ˈpɪdʒ(ɪ)nhəʊl// noun

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

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

The verdict

“pigeonhole” is uncommon English (frequency #75,297 among 46,516 “P” headwords), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#75,297
frequency rank, English
46,516
“P” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - One of an array of open compartments for housing pigeons in a dovecote or pigeon loft.

Key facts for pigeonhole
PropertyValue
Headwordpigeonhole
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈpɪdʒ(ɪ)nhəʊl/
Letters10
Frequency rank#75,297
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “pigeonhole” 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). pigeonhole lands here:

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

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

Rare enough to double-check

pigeonhole is uncommon English at frequency #75,297 among 46,516 “P” headwords, classed as anoun, transcribed /ˈpɪdʒ(ɪ)nhəʊl/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 11 senses are on record.

We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for pigeonhole, a straightforward case of a spelling with little room for common typos. No confusable counterpart is on file for this word, suggesting its spelling stands apart enough that readers rarely confuse it with something else.

Etymologically, the entry records: The noun is derived from pigeon + hole. The verb is derived from the noun. The correct English form is pigeonhole, spelled P-I-G-E-O-N-H-O-L-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    One of an array of open compartments for housing pigeons in a dovecote or pigeon loft.
  2. 2
    A hole or opening in a door or wall for a pigeon to pass through.
  3. 3
    One of an array of open compartments in a desk, set of shelves, etc., used for sorting or storing letters, papers, or other items.
  4. 4
    One of an array of open compartments in a desk, set of shelves, etc., used for sorting or storing letters, papers, or other items.
  5. 5
    A compartment or cubicle in a room or other place, especially one which is (excessively) small.
  6. 6
    A small opening for looking or passing things through.
  7. 7
    A small opening for looking or passing things through.
  8. 8
    A form of stocks with openings for restraining a person's hands or feet; also, one of the openings in the device.
  9. 9
    A seat in the top row of the gallery of a theatre.
  10. 10
    A notional category or class into which someone or something is placed.
  11. 11
    A space between two words that is too wide.

Etymology

The noun is derived from pigeon + hole. The verb is derived from the noun.

This word in other languages

casilla(Español)Fach(Deutsch)escaninho(Português)

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 "pigeonhole"?
"pigeonhole" is spelled P-I-G-E-O-N-H-O-L-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈpɪdʒ(ɪ)nhəʊl/.
What does "pigeonhole" mean?
As a noun, "pigeonhole" means: One of an array of open compartments for housing pigeons in a dovecote or pigeon loft.
How do you pronounce "pigeonhole"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "pigeonhole" is /ˈpɪdʒ(ɪ)nhəʊl/. 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 "pigeonhole"?
The noun is derived from pigeon + hole. The verb is derived from the noun. 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 “pigeonhole”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is P-I-G-E-O-N-H-O-L-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈpɪdʒ(ɪ)nhəʊl/ (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

Other uncommon English words near this rank

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