spin a yarn
"spin-a-yarn" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“spin a yarn” is uncommon English (outside the top frequency list), classed as a verb. The kind of spelling people second-guess.
- Unranked
- below top-frequency English
- 11
- letters
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To tell or create a story, especially one which is lengthy or far-fetched.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | spin a yarn |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Verb |
| Letters | 11 |
| Misspellings tracked | 0 |
| Confusable pairs | 0 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Where “spin a yarn” sits in English frequency
Rare enough to double-check
spin a yarn is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as averb. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. Gloss: "To tell or create a story, especially one which is lengthy or far-fetched.".
The misspelling generator found no plausible variants for spin a yarn, typically a sign the spelling maps closely to how the word sounds. This entry stands alone in our confusable dataset, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.
Etymologically, the entry records: By metaphor from spinning fibers into yarn or thread, as for example at a spinning wheel. The correct English form is spin a yarn, spelled S-P-I-N- -A- -Y-A-R-N.
Definition
- 1To tell or create a story, especially one which is lengthy or far-fetched.
Etymology
By metaphor from spinning fibers into yarn or thread, as for example at a spinning wheel.
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 “spin a yarn”
The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.
- The one correct English spelling is S-P-I-N- -A- -Y-A-R-N - 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.