pommel

/ˈpɒ.məl/

//ˈpɒ.məl// noun

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

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

The verdict

“pommel” is uncommon English (frequency #55,024 among 4,417 “P” headwords), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#55,024
frequency rank, English
4,417
“P” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - The upper front brow of a saddle.

Corpus desk

Index EN-pommel · pommel · English

pommel · rank #55,024 · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-RARE #55,024
  • LEN-LONG 6 letters
  • VOW-2 2 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-MID 4,417
  • PHOTO-FINISH polyvinyl

Nearest frequency peer: polyvinyl (-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.

Long-tail ranks near “pommel”

Sparse band: bars invert rank so rarer forms read shorter

corpus weight

What this shows Long-tail view: where “pommel” sits against similarly uncommon English ranks.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for pommel
PropertyValue
Headwordpommel
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈpɒ.məl/
Letters6
Frequency rank#55,024
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “pommel” in English

Word frequency stretches from the small set of words we reach for constantly (left) out to the long tail barely used once in a while (right).pommelfalls in this rarity band:

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

The axis is logarithmic, with each marked tick roughly ten times rarer than the last. Rare peers in the same band: “polyvinyl” (#55,023), “ponderous” (#55,025), “polonium” (#55,022). Among 4,417 “P” headwords, “pommel” is #55,024. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

pommel is uncommon English at frequency #55,024 among 4,417 “P” headwords, classed as anoun, transcribed /ˈpɒ.məl/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 5 senses are on record.

We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for pommel, typically a sign the spelling maps closely to how the word sounds. This entry stands alone in our confusable dataset, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English pomel, from Old French pomel and Medieval Latin pomellum, pumellum, presumedly via Vulgar Latin *pomellum (“ball, knob”), the diminutive of Late Latin pōmum (“apple”). Compare French pommeau, Spanish pomo, and Swedish pumla. The correct English form is pommel, spelled P-O-M-M-E-L.

Definition

  1. 1
    The upper front brow of a saddle.
  2. 2
    A rounded knob or handle.
  3. 3
    A rounded knob or handle.
  4. 4
    A rounded knob or handle.
  5. 5
    The bat used in the game of knurr and spell or trap ball.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. But, if it does so sit, it is plain that the pommel must rise sufficiently to secure the withers from pressure; therefore it follows, that a horse whose withers are higher than common, (a well-built hunter for example,) requires a pommel higher by so much as he excels the generality of horses.
  2. In the shoulder saddle, pommel and cantle are inclined toward each other at the bottom and away from each other at the top.

Etymology

From Middle English pomel, from Old French pomel and Medieval Latin pomellum, pumellum, presumedly via Vulgar Latin *pomellum (“ball, knob”), the diminutive of Late Latin pōmum (“apple”). Compare French pommeau, Spanish pomo, and Swedish pumla.

This word in other languages

borrén(Español)pommeau(Français)Knauf(Deutsch)castão(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 "pommel"?
"pommel" is spelled P-O-M-M-E-L. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈpɒ.məl/.
What does "pommel" mean?
As a noun, "pommel" means: The upper front brow of a saddle.
How do you pronounce "pommel"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "pommel" is /ˈpɒ.məl/. 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 "pommel"?
From Middle English pomel, from Old French pomel and Medieval Latin pomellum, pumellum, presumedly via Vulgar Latin *pomellum (“ball, knob”), the diminutive of Late Latin pōmum (“apple”). Compare French pommeau, Spanish pomo, and Swedish pumla. 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 "pommel", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 6 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

Pervez#55,012Ormsby#54,991rollie#55,069Norrie#54,974

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list