scroll

/skɹoʊl/

//skɹoʊl// noun

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

The verdict

“scroll” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #8,854 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#8,854
frequency rank, English
6
letters
8
tracked misspellings
6
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A roll of paper or parchment; a writing formed into a roll.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

scroll vs Stoll
50% similar
scroll vs stroll
83% similar
scroll vs shrill
67% similar

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

Key facts for scroll
PropertyValue
Headwordscroll
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/skɹoʊl/
Letters6
Frequency rank#8,854
Misspellings tracked8
Confusable pairs6
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “scroll” 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). scroll 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 scroll is 6 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /skɹoʊl/. Corpus data places it at rank #8,854 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 12 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 8 likely wrong-spelling variants for scroll, with forms such as "csroll", "sccroll", and "scorll". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 6 confusable-pair relationships, "Stoll", "stroll", "shrill", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English scrowle, scrolle, from earlier scrowe, scrouwe (influenced by Middle English rolle), from Old French escroe, escrowe, escrouwe (“scroll, strip of parchment”), from Frankish *skrōda (“a shred”), from Proto-Germanic *skraudō, from *skrew- … The correct English form is scroll, spelled S-C-R-O-L-L.

Definition

  1. 1
    A roll of paper or parchment; a writing formed into a roll.
  2. 2
    An ornament formed of undulations giving off spirals or sprays, usually suggestive of plant form. Roman architectural ornament is largely of some scroll pattern.
  3. 3
    Spirals or sprays in the shape of an actual plant.
  4. 4
    A mark or flourish added to a person's signature, intended to represent a seal, and in some States allowed as a substitute for a seal. [U.S.] Alexander Mansfield Burrill.
  5. 5
    The carved end of a violin, viola, cello or other stringed instrument, most commonly scroll-shaped but occasionally in the form of a human or animal head.
  6. 6
    A skew surface.
  7. 7
    A kind of sweet roll baked in a somewhat spiral shape.
  8. 8
    The incremental movement of graphics on a screen, removing one portion to show the next.
  9. 9
    A spiral waterway placed round a turbine to regulate the flow.
  10. 10
    A turbinate bone.
  11. 11
    A rough draft of anything.
  12. 12
    The act of scrolling

Etymology

From Middle English scrowle, scrolle, from earlier scrowe, scrouwe (influenced by Middle English rolle), from Old French escroe, escrowe, escrouwe (“scroll, strip of parchment”), from Frankish *skrōda (“a shred”), from Proto-Germanic *skraudō, from *skrew- (“to cut; cutting tool”), extension of *(s)ker- (“to cut”). Doublet of shred and escrow.

This word in other languages

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: csroll,sccroll,scorll,scrlol,scrol,scrroll,srcoll,sscroll

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of scroll - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

csroll2sccroll1scorll2scrlol2scrol1scrroll1srcoll2sscroll1
Edit distance from "scroll"

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 "scroll"?
"scroll" is spelled S-C-R-O-L-L. The IPA pronunciation is /skɹoʊl/.
What does "scroll" mean?
As a noun, "scroll" means: A roll of paper or parchment; a writing formed into a roll.
What words are commonly confused with "scroll"?
"scroll" is commonly confused with "Stoll", "stroll", "shrill". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "scroll"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "scroll" is /skɹoʊl/. 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 "scroll"?
From Middle English scrowle, scrolle, from earlier scrowe, scrouwe (influenced by Middle English rolle), from Old French escroe, escrowe, escrouwe (“scroll, strip of parchment”), from Frankish *skrōda (“a shred”), from Proto-Germanic *skraudō, fro... 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 “scroll”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is S-C-R-O-L-L - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /skɹoʊl/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “Stoll” - see the side-by-side comparison. scroll vs Stoll
  • 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