# spaniel

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈspænjəl/ · frequency rank #36,345

## Definitions
1. Any of various small to medium-sized breeds of gun dog having a broad muzzle, long, wavy fur and long ears that hang at the side of the head, bred for flushing and retrieving game.
2. A cringing, fawning person.

## Etymology
From Middle English spaynol, from Old French espaigneul (modern French épagneul), from Old Occitan espaignol, from Vulgar Latin *Hispāniolus (“Spanish”), from Hispānia (“Spain”).

## Easily confused with
- **spiel** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/spaniel-vs-spiel)
- **Spanish** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/spaniel-vs-spanish)
- **spatial** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/spaniel-vs-spatial)
- **spanked** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/spaniel-vs-spanked)
- **spanner** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/spaniel-vs-spanner)
- **spandex** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/spandex-vs-spaniel)

## Common misspellings (10)
`psaniel`, `sapniel`, `spainel`, `spaneil`, `spaniell`, `spanile`, `spanniel`, `spnaiel`, `sppaniel`, `sspaniel`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/spaniel