split-second
/ˌsplɪtˈsɛk(ə)nd/
"split-second" is a 11-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“split-second” is outside the top-ranked English vocabulary, used as a noun - the kind of word writers most often double-check.
- Unranked
- below top-frequency English
- 12
- letters
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A stopwatch with two second hands, each of which may be stopped separately to time the intervals of a race by a sportsperson, or to time more than one sportsperson.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | split-second |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Noun |
| IPA | /ˌsplɪtˈsɛk(ə)nd/ |
| Letters | 12 |
| Misspellings tracked | 0 |
| Confusable pairs | 0 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Where “split-second” sits in English frequency
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
The English entry for split-second is 12 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˌsplɪtˈsɛk(ə)nd/. It sits outside the most-frequent rank tiers, which is often why uncommon words generate more spelling variants per reader. Wiktionary records 2 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.
split-second has no tracked misspelling variants, and the word's spelling is regular enough that our generator found nothing worth flagging. No close-neighbour confusable shows up for this headword in our dataset, since nothing in our dataset looks or sounds close enough to cause mix-ups.
Etymologically, the entry records: From split (adjective) + second (noun), from split second(s) hands: see sense 1. The correct English form is split-second, spelled S-P-L-I-T---S-E-C-O-N-D.
Definition
- 1A stopwatch with two second hands, each of which may be stopped separately to time the intervals of a race by a sportsperson, or to time more than one sportsperson.
- 2A fraction of a second; hence (figurative, also attributive) a very short time period; an instant, a moment.
Etymology
From split (adjective) + second (noun), from split second(s) hands: see sense 1.
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 “split-second”
The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.
- The one correct English spelling is S-P-L-I-T---S-E-C-O-N-D - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
- Say it as /ˌsplɪtˈsɛk(ə)nd/ (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.