# speechless

> English word · Adjective · IPA /ˈspiːt͡ʃ.lɪs/ · frequency rank #20,783

## Definitions
1. Not speaking; not knowing what to say; silent, especially due to surprise, amazement, etc.; wordless.
2. Synonym of unspeakable.

## Etymology
From Middle English specheles, from Old English sprǣċlēas (“speechless; without the power of speak”), from Proto-Germanic *sprēkalausaz, equivalent to speech + -less. Cognate with West Frisian sprakeleas (“speechless”), Dutch sprakeloos (“speechless”), German Low German spraaklos (“speechless”), German sprachlos (“speechless”).

## Easily confused with
- **speeches** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/speeches-vs-speechless)

## Common misspellings (14)
`pseechless`, `sepechless`, `specehless`, `spechless`, `speecchless`, `speechelss`, `speechhless`, `speechles`, `speechlless`, `speechlses`, `speeclhess`, `speehcless`, `sppeechless`, `sspeechless`

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