squirt

/skwɝt/

//skwɝt// noun

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

"squirt" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“squirt” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #21,944 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#21,944
frequency rank, English
6
letters
9
tracked misspellings
13
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - An instrument from which a liquid is forcefully ejected in a small, quick stream.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

squirt vs suit
67% similar
squirt vs sturt
67% similar
squirt vs Stuart
50% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for squirt
PropertyValue
Headwordsquirt
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/skwɝt/
Letters6
Frequency rank#21,944
Misspellings tracked9
Confusable pairs13
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “squirt” 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). squirt lands here:

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

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

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for squirt is 6 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /skwɝt/. Corpus data places it at rank #21,944 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 9 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 9 likely wrong-spelling variants for squirt, with forms such as "qsuirt", "sqiurt", and "sqquirt". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 13 confusable-pair relationships, "suit", "sturt", "Stuart", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English squirten, squyrten, of uncertain origin; probably onomatopoeic. Akin to swirl. Compare Low German swirtjen (“to squirt”) and Swedish water onomatopoeias skvala, skvalp, skvimpa, and skvätta; Icelandic skvetta; and Norwegian skvette. The correct English form is squirt, spelled S-Q-U-I-R-T.

Definition

  1. 1
    An instrument from which a liquid is forcefully ejected in a small, quick stream.
  2. 2
    A small, quick stream; a jet.
  3. 3
    The whole system of flow in the vicinity of a source.
  4. 4
    A burst of noise.
  5. 5
    An annoyingly pretentious person; a whippersnapper.
  6. 6
    A small child.
  7. 7
    Female ejaculate.
  8. 8
    An act of urination.
  9. 9
    A maneuver in which a kayak is forced into a nearly vertical position.

Etymology

From Middle English squirten, squyrten, of uncertain origin; probably onomatopoeic. Akin to swirl. Compare Low German swirtjen (“to squirt”) and Swedish water onomatopoeias skvala, skvalp, skvimpa, and skvätta; Icelandic skvetta; and Norwegian skvette.

Synonyms

ankle-biter

This word in other languages

jet(Français)Spritze(Deutsch)esguicho(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: qsuirt,sqiurt,sqquirt,squirrt,squirtt,squitr,squrit,ssquirt,suqirt

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of squirt - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

qsuirt2sqiurt2sqquirt1squirrt1squirtt1squitr2squrit2ssquirt1
Edit distance from "squirt"

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 "squirt"?
"squirt" is spelled S-Q-U-I-R-T. The IPA pronunciation is /skwɝt/.
What does "squirt" mean?
As a noun, "squirt" means: An instrument from which a liquid is forcefully ejected in a small, quick stream.
What words are commonly confused with "squirt"?
"squirt" is commonly confused with "suit", "sturt", "Stuart". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "squirt"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "squirt" is /skwɝt/. 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 "squirt"?
From Middle English squirten, squyrten, of uncertain origin; probably onomatopoeic. Akin to swirl. Compare Low German swirtjen (“to squirt”) and Swedish water onomatopoeias skvala, skvalp, skvimpa, and skvätta; Icelandic skvetta; and Norwegian skv... 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 “squirt”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is S-Q-U-I-R-T - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /skwɝt/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “suit” - see the side-by-side comparison. squirt vs suit
  • 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 FrequencyWords open word-frequency list