pottle

/ˈpɒtəl/

//ˈpɒtəl// noun

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

The verdict

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

Unranked
below top-frequency English
6
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - A former unit of volume, equivalent to half a gallon, used for liquids and corn; a pot or drinking vessel of around this size.

Corpus desk

Index EN-pottle · pottle · English

pottle · unranked · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-UNRANKED Unranked
  • LEN-LONG 6 letters
  • VOW-2 2 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-THIN "P" 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 pottle
PropertyValue
Headwordpottle
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈpɒtəl/
Letters6
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “pottle” in English

pottlefalls outside the top-100,000 ranked English words, the long-tail zone of technical, archaic, or low-frequency vocabulary, exactly where readers second-guess spellings most.

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

Rare enough to double-check

pottle is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as anoun, transcribed /ˈpɒtəl/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 3 senses are on record.

No generated misspelling entries exist for pottle in our index, a straightforward case of a spelling with little room for common typos. 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 potell, potel, from Old French potel, diminutive of pot; see more at pot. The correct English form is pottle, spelled P-O-T-T-L-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    A former unit of volume, equivalent to half a gallon, used for liquids and corn; a pot or drinking vessel of around this size.
  2. 2
    A small food container, usually made of plastic or cardboard, typically used for containing hot chips, yoghurt or other foodstuffs.
  3. 3
    A small pot or other receptacle, e.g. for strawberries.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. Why, he drinks you, with facility, your Dane dead drunk; he sweats not to overthrow your Almain; he gives your Hollander a vomit, ere the next pottle can be filled.
  2. c. 1605, Thomas Dekker, The Honest Whore Part 2, London: Nathaniel Butter, 1630, a pottle of Greeke wine

Etymology

From Middle English potell, potel, from Old French potel, diminutive of pot; see more at pot.

Synonyms

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 "pottle"?
"pottle" is spelled P-O-T-T-L-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈpɒtəl/.
What does "pottle" mean?
As a noun, "pottle" means: A former unit of volume, equivalent to half a gallon, used for liquids and corn; a pot or drinking vessel of around this size.
How do you pronounce "pottle"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "pottle" is /ˈpɒtəl/. 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 "pottle"?
From Middle English potell, potel, from Old French potel, diminutive of pot; see more at pot. 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