settler

/ˈsɛt.lɚ/

//ˈsɛt.lɚ// noun

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

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

The verdict

“settler” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #23,988 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#23,988
frequency rank, English
7
letters
9
tracked misspellings
11
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Someone who settles in a new location, especially one who takes up residence in a previously uninhabited place; a colonist.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

settler vs sitter
71% similar
settler vs Sutter
57% similar
settler vs settlers
88% similar

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

Key facts for settler
PropertyValue
Headwordsettler
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈsɛt.lɚ/
Letters7
Frequency rank#23,988
Misspellings tracked9
Confusable pairs11
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “settler” 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). settler 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 settler is 7 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈsɛt.lɚ/. Corpus data places it at rank #23,988 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 6 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 9 likely wrong-spelling variants for settler, with forms such as "esttler", "setler", and "setlter". 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 11 confusable-pair relationships, "sitter", "Sutter", "settlers", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: From settle + -er. The correct English form is settler, spelled S-E-T-T-L-E-R.

Definition

  1. 1
    Someone who settles in a new location, especially one who takes up residence in a previously uninhabited place; a colonist.
  2. 2
    Someone who decides or settles something, such as a dispute.
  3. 3
    That which settles or finishes, such as a blow that decides a contest.
  4. 4
    The person in a betting shop who calculates the winnings.
  5. 5
    A drink which settles the stomach, especially a bitter drink, often a nightcap.
  6. 6
    A vessel, such as a tub, in which something, such as pulverized ore suspended in a liquid, is allowed to settle.

Etymology

From settle + -er.

This word in other languages

colono(Español)colon(Français)Siedler(Deutsch)colono(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: esttler,setler,setlter,settelr,settlerr,settller,settlre,ssettler,stetler

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

esttler2setler1setlter2settelr2settlerr1settller1settlre2ssettler1
Edit distance from "settler"

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 "settler"?
"settler" is spelled S-E-T-T-L-E-R. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈsɛt.lɚ/.
What does "settler" mean?
As a noun, "settler" means: Someone who settles in a new location, especially one who takes up residence in a previously uninhabited place; a colonist.
What words are commonly confused with "settler"?
"settler" is commonly confused with "sitter", "Sutter", "settlers". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "settler"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "settler" is /ˈsɛt.lɚ/. 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 "settler"?
From settle + -er. 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 “settler”

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

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