spin-off

/ˈspɪn.ɔf/

//ˈspɪn.ɔf// noun

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

"spin-off" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“spin-off” 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) - An offshoot.

Key facts for spin-off
PropertyValue
Headwordspin-off
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈspɪn.ɔf/
Letters8
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “spin-off” sits in English frequency

spin-off falls outside the top-100,000 ranked English words, the long-tail zone of technical, archaic, or low-frequency vocabulary, exactly where readers second-guess spellings most.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

spin-off is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as anoun, transcribed /ˈspɪn.ɔf/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 5 senses are on record.

spin-off has no tracked misspelling variants, since its letter sequence doesn't invite the usual edit-distance slips. Our confusable-pair dataset has no match for it, which tends to mean the word is visually distinctive enough to stand on its own.

Etymologically, the entry records: Deverbal from spin off. The correct English form is spin-off, spelled S-P-I-N---O-F-F.

Definition

  1. 1
    An offshoot.
  2. 2
    An incidental benefit or unexpected pay-off.
  3. 3
    A by-product.
  4. 4
    A fictional work where the protagonist was introduced in a preceding work or at least shares the same setting, often in a different aspect.
  5. 5
    The formation of a subsidiary company that continues the operations of part of the parent company; the company so formed.

Etymology

Deverbal from spin off.

Synonyms

derivatedescendant

This word in other languages

esqueje(Español)spin-off(Français)Ableger(Deutsch)

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

How do you spell "spin-off"?
"spin-off" is spelled S-P-I-N---O-F-F. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈspɪn.ɔf/.
What does "spin-off" mean?
As a noun, "spin-off" means: An offshoot.
How do you pronounce "spin-off"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "spin-off" is /ˈspɪn.ɔf/. 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 "spin-off"?
Deverbal from spin off. 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 “spin-off”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is S-P-I-N---O-F-F - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈspɪn.ɔf/ (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
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