spandrel
"spandrel" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“spandrel” is uncommon English (outside the top frequency list), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.
- Unranked
- below top-frequency English
- 8
- letters
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - The space (often more or less triangular) between the outer curve of an arch (the extrados) and a straight-sided figure that bounds it; the space between two contiguous arches and a straight featur...
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | spandrel |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Noun |
| Letters | 8 |
| Misspellings tracked | 0 |
| Confusable pairs | 0 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Where “spandrel” sits in English frequency
Rare enough to double-check
spandrel is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as anoun. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 6 senses are on record.
spandrel has no tracked misspelling variants, a sign its spelling follows regular English conventions. This headword has no recorded confusable partner, since nothing in our dataset looks or sounds close enough to cause mix-ups.
Etymologically, the entry records: From a diminutive in -el of Anglo-Norman spaundre, of uncertain origin, perhaps from Old French espandre (“to expand, extend, spread”). More at spawn, expand. In the field of biology first used by Stephen Jay Gould and Richard Lewontin. The correct English form is spandrel, spelled S-P-A-N-D-R-E-L.
Definition
- 1The space (often more or less triangular) between the outer curve of an arch (the extrados) and a straight-sided figure that bounds it; the space between two contiguous arches and a straight feature above them.
- 2Horizontal member between the windows of successive storeys of a tall building.
- 3The triangular space under a stair; the material that fills the space.
- 4An oriental rug having a pattern of arches; the design in the corners of such a rug, especially in a prayer rug.
- 5A phenotypic characteristic that evolved as a side effect of an adaptation in response to evolutionary pressure.
- 6soffit (usually used to describe metal or corrugated plastic types of roof soffit)
Etymology
From a diminutive in -el of Anglo-Norman spaundre, of uncertain origin, perhaps from Old French espandre (“to expand, extend, spread”). More at spawn, expand. In the field of biology first used by Stephen Jay Gould and Richard Lewontin.
This word in other languages
Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Using “spandrel”
The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.
- The one correct English spelling is S-P-A-N-D-R-E-L - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
- 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.