takeaway

/ˈteɪkəweɪ/

//ˈteɪkəweɪ// adj

"takeaway" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“takeaway” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #19,227 in English word frequency and used as an adjective.

#19,227
frequency rank, English
8
letters
11
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - (Of food) intended to be eaten off the premises from which it was bought.

Key facts for takeaway
PropertyValue
Headwordtakeaway
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ˈteɪkəweɪ/
Letters8
Frequency rank#19,227
Misspellings tracked11
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “takeaway” 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). takeaway 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 takeaway is 8 letters long, classified as an adjective, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈteɪkəweɪ/. Corpus data places it at rank #19,227 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. The dominant gloss from Wiktionary reads: "(Of food) intended to be eaten off the premises from which it was bought.".

Our generated misspelling index lists 11 likely wrong-spelling variants for takeaway, with forms such as "atkeaway", "taekaway", and "takaeway". 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. No confusable counterpart is on file for this word, since no other headword is close enough in sound or shape to pair with it.

Etymologically, the entry records: Deverbal from take away. The correct English form is takeaway, spelled T-A-K-E-A-W-A-Y.

Definition

  1. 1
    (Of food) intended to be eaten off the premises from which it was bought.

Etymology

Deverbal from take away.

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: atkeaway,taekaway,takaeway,takeaawy,takeawayy,takeawway,takeawya,takewaay,takkeaway,tkaeaway,ttakeaway

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of takeaway - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

atkeaway2taekaway2takaeway2takeaawy2takeawayy1takeawway1takeawya2takewaay2
Edit distance from "takeaway"

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 "takeaway"?
"takeaway" is spelled T-A-K-E-A-W-A-Y. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈteɪkəweɪ/.
What does "takeaway" mean?
As an adjective, "takeaway" means: (Of food) intended to be eaten off the premises from which it was bought.
What are common misspellings of "takeaway"?
Common misspellings include "atkeaway", "taekaway", "takaeway", "takeaawy", "takeawayy". The correct spelling is "takeaway".
How do you pronounce "takeaway"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "takeaway" is /ˈteɪkəweɪ/. 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 "takeaway"?
Deverbal from take away. 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 “takeaway”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is T-A-K-E-A-W-A-Y - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈteɪkəweɪ/ (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 FrequencyWords open word-frequency list