scuttle

/ˈskʌt.l̩/

//ˈskʌt.l̩// noun

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

"scuttle" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“scuttle” has 9 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #42,399. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#42,399
frequency rank, English
6,566
“S” headwords
9
tracked misspellings
6
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - A container like an open bucket (usually to hold and carry coal).

Corpus desk

Index EN-scuttle · scuttle · English

scuttle · rank #42,399 · 9 variants · 6 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #42,399
  • LEN-LONG 7 letters
  • VOW-2 2 vowels
  • CONFUS-MID 6 pairs
  • VAR-MID 9 variants
  • BOOK-DENSE 6,566
  • PHOTO-FINISH Schindler

Nearest frequency peer: Schindler (-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.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “scuttle”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “scuttle” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

scuttle vs settle
71% similar
scuttle vs subtle
71% similar
scuttle vs Seattle
57% similar

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

Key facts for scuttle
PropertyValue
Headwordscuttle
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈskʌt.l̩/
Letters7
Frequency rank#42,399
Misspellings tracked9
Confusable pairs6
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “scuttle”

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right).scuttlelands here:

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

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Same rarity band neighbours include “Schindler” (#42,398), “scalability” (#42,397), “Seeley” (#42,402). Among 6,566 “S” headwords, “scuttle” is #42,399. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 9 spelling variants around scuttle (IPA /ˈskʌt.l̩/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #42,399 among 6,566 “S” headwords. Wiktionary lists 3 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 9 likely wrong-spelling variants for scuttle, with forms such as "csuttle", "sccuttle", and "sctutle". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. It also participates in 6 confusable-pair relationships, "settle", "subtle", "Seattle", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English scuttel, scutel, from Old English scutel (“dish, platter”), from Latin scutella, diminutive form of Latin scutra (“flat tray, dish”), perhaps related to Latin scutum (“shield”); compare Dutch schotel and German Schüssel. The correct English form is scuttle, spelled S-C-U-T-T-L-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    A container like an open bucket (usually to hold and carry coal).
  2. 2
    A broad, shallow basket.
  3. 3
    A dish, platter or a trencher.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. All through dinner—which was long, in consequence of such accidents as the dish of potatoes being mislaid in the coal skuttle and the handle of the corkscrew coming off and striking the young woman in the chin—Mrs. Jellyby preserved the evenness of her disposition.
  2. On the way, with superior precaution, we got out our saucepan. The kitchen fire was red, but low; the coal-cellar was locked, and there was nothing in the scuttle but a little coal-dust and the piece of brown paper that is put in to keep the coals from tumbling out through the bottom where the hole is.

Etymology

From Middle English scuttel, scutel, from Old English scutel (“dish, platter”), from Latin scutella, diminutive form of Latin scutra (“flat tray, dish”), perhaps related to Latin scutum (“shield”); compare Dutch schotel and German Schüssel.

This word in other languages

Eimer(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • csuttle
  • sccuttle
  • sctutle
  • scutle
  • scutlte
  • scuttel
  • scuttlle
  • sscuttle
  • sucttle

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

csuttle2sccuttle1sctutle2scutle1scutlte2scuttel2scuttlle1sscuttle1
Edit distance from "scuttle"

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 "scuttle"?
"scuttle" is spelled S-C-U-T-T-L-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈskʌt.l̩/.
What does "scuttle" mean?
As a noun, "scuttle" means: A container like an open bucket (usually to hold and carry coal).
What words are commonly confused with "scuttle"?
"scuttle" is commonly confused with "settle", "subtle", "Seattle". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "scuttle"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "scuttle" is /ˈskʌt.l̩/. 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 "scuttle"?
From Middle English scuttel, scutel, from Old English scutel (“dish, platter”), from Latin scutella, diminutive form of Latin scutra (“flat tray, dish”), perhaps related to Latin scutum (“shield”); compare Dutch schotel and German Schüssel. 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 "scuttle", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 7 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

saintly#42,395Selkirk#42,403seltzer#42,404ruinous#42,393

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (9 here; floor ≥5).

Shakur9 variantsreapply9 variantsreadout9 variantsTorrens9 variants

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list