quilt

/ˈkwɪlt/

//ˈkwɪlt// noun

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

"quilt" is a 5-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“quilt” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #21,036 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#21,036
frequency rank, English
5
letters
7
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A bed covering consisting of two layers of fabric stitched together, with insulation between, often having a decorative design.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

quilt vs quit
80% similar
quilt vs quiz
60% similar
quilt vs quip
60% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for quilt
PropertyValue
Headwordquilt
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈkwɪlt/
Letters5
Frequency rank#21,036
Misspellings tracked7
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “quilt” 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). quilt lands here:

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

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

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for quilt is 5 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈkwɪlt/. Corpus data places it at rank #21,036 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 4 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 7 likely wrong-spelling variants for quilt, with forms such as "qiult", "qquilt", and "quillt". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "quit", "quiz", "quip", and more, since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: Inherited from Middle English quilte, quylte, from Anglo-Norman quilte and Old French coilte, cuilte (compare French couette), from Latin culcita. Doublet of quoit. The correct English form is quilt, spelled Q-U-I-L-T.

Definition

  1. 1
    A bed covering consisting of two layers of fabric stitched together, with insulation between, often having a decorative design.
  2. 2
    A roll of material with sound-absorbing properties, used in soundproofing.
  3. 3
    A quilted skirt worn by women.
  4. 4
    Something composed of a variety of stitched-together parts; a patchwork.

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English quilte, quylte, from Anglo-Norman quilte and Old French coilte, cuilte (compare French couette), from Latin culcita. Doublet of quoit.

This word in other languages

colcha(Español)édredon(Français)Steppdecke(Deutsch)colcha(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: qiult,qquilt,quillt,quiltt,quitl,qulit,uqilt

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of quilt - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

qiult2qquilt1quillt1quiltt1quitl2qulit2uqilt2
Edit distance from "quilt"

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 "quilt"?
"quilt" is spelled Q-U-I-L-T. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈkwɪlt/.
What does "quilt" mean?
As a noun, "quilt" means: A bed covering consisting of two layers of fabric stitched together, with insulation between, often having a decorative design.
What words are commonly confused with "quilt"?
"quilt" is commonly confused with "quit", "quiz", "quip". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "quilt"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "quilt" is /ˈkwɪlt/. 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 "quilt"?
Inherited from Middle English quilte, quylte, from Anglo-Norman quilte and Old French coilte, cuilte (compare French couette), from Latin culcita. Doublet of quoit. 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 “quilt”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is Q-U-I-L-T - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈkwɪlt/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “quit” - see the side-by-side comparison. quilt vs quit
  • 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.

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list