quarterback
/ˈkwɔːtəbak/
"quarterback" is a 11-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“quarterback” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #7,728 in English word frequency and used as a noun.
- #7,728
- frequency rank, English
- 11
- letters
- 17
- tracked misspellings
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - An offensive back whose primary job is to pass the ball in a play.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | quarterback |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Noun |
| IPA | /ˈkwɔːtəbak/ |
| Letters | 11 |
| Frequency rank | #7,728 |
| Misspellings tracked | 17 |
| Confusable pairs | 0 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Where “quarterback” sits in English frequency
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
The English entry for quarterback is 11 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈkwɔːtəbak/. Corpus data places it at rank #7,728 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 3 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.
Our generated misspelling index lists 17 likely wrong-spelling variants for quarterback, with forms such as "qaurterback", "qquarterback", and "quaretrback". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. No confusable counterpart is on file for this word, since no other headword is close enough in sound or shape to pair with it.
Etymologically, the entry records: From quarter + back, in reference to the position in front of the halfback position. The correct English form is quarterback, spelled Q-U-A-R-T-E-R-B-A-C-K.
Definition
- 1An offensive back whose primary job is to pass the ball in a play.
- 2An offensive back who receives the snap (hike) and then blocks the defense from crossing the line of scrimmage; a blocking back.
- 3A position just behind the forwards, or one who plays this position.
Etymology
From quarter + back, in reference to the position in front of the halfback position.
This word in other languages
Common misspellings
Also misspelled as: qaurterback,qquarterback,quaretrback,quarrterback,quartebrack,quarterabck,quarterbacck,quarterbackk,quarterbakc,quarterbback,quarterbcak,quarterrback,quartreback,quartterback,quatrerback,quraterback,uqarterback
Misspelling Pattern Breakdown
How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of quarterback - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.
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
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Using “quarterback”
The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.
- The one correct English spelling is Q-U-A-R-T-E-R-B-A-C-K - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
- Say it as /ˈkwɔːtəbak/ (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
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.