spats

/spæts/

//spæts// noun

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

"spats" is a 5-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“spats” is uncommon English (frequency #56,459 among 54,294 “S” headwords), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#56,459
frequency rank, English
54,294
“S” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A stiff legging worn over the instep and ankles of a shoe.

Key facts for spats
PropertyValue
Headwordspats
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/spæts/
Letters5
Frequency rank#56,459
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “spats” 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). spats lands here:

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

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

spats is uncommon English at frequency #56,459 among 54,294 “S” headwords, classed as anoun, transcribed /spæts/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 4 senses are on record.

No misspelling variants are generated for spats in our index, which points to an orthography that plays by predictable English rules. This entry stands alone in our confusable dataset, which typically means the spelling is too distinctive to be mistaken for another word.

Etymologically, the entry records: Clipping of spatterdashes. The correct English form is spats, spelled S-P-A-T-S.

Definition

  1. 1
    A stiff legging worn over the instep and ankles of a shoe.
  2. 2
    A similar device for horses.
  3. 3
    Long hair on front of lower legs of heavier horses (over the hooves), especially draft horses, notably the Clydesdale breed.
  4. 4
    form-fitting shorts covering the waist to mid- or lower thigh usually worn for athletic situations, compression shorts

Etymology

Clipping of spatterdashes.

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 "spats"?
"spats" is spelled S-P-A-T-S. The IPA pronunciation is /spæts/.
What does "spats" mean?
As a noun, "spats" means: A stiff legging worn over the instep and ankles of a shoe.
How do you pronounce "spats"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "spats" is /spæts/. 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 "spats"?
Clipping of spatterdashes. 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 “spats”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is S-P-A-T-S - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /spæts/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words

Other uncommon English words near this rank

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