tendril

/ˈtɛn.dɹəl/

//ˈtɛn.dɹəl// noun

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

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

The verdict

“tendril” is uncommon English (frequency #92,138 among 3,151 “T” headwords), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#92,138
frequency rank, English
3,151
“T” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - A thin, spirally coiling stem that attaches a plant to its support.

Corpus desk

Index EN-tendril · tendril · English

tendril · rank #92,138 · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-RARE #92,138
  • LEN-LONG 7 letters
  • VOW-2 2 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-MID 3,151
  • PHOTO-FINISH telegraphing

Nearest frequency peer: telegraphing (-1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Long-tail ranks near “tendril”

Sparse band: bars invert rank so rarer forms read shorter

corpus weight

What this shows Long-tail view: where “tendril” sits against similarly uncommon English ranks.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for tendril
PropertyValue
Headwordtendril
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈtɛn.dɹəl/
Letters7
Frequency rank#92,138
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “tendril” in English

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right).tendrilfalls in this rarity band:

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

The axis is logarithmic, with each marked tick roughly ten times rarer than the last. Rare peers in the same band: “telegraphing” (#92,137), “territorially” (#92,140), “tangibly” (#92,135). Among 3,151 “T” headwords, “tendril” is #92,138. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

tendril is uncommon English at frequency #92,138 among 3,151 “T” headwords, classed as anoun, transcribed /ˈtɛn.dɹəl/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 3 senses are on record.

We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for tendril, since its letter pattern doesn't lend itself to common typo substitutions. This headword has no recorded confusable partner, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle French tendrillon (“bud, shoot, cartilage”), perhaps a diminutive of tendron (“cartilage”), from Old French tendre (“soft”) (see tender (adjective)), or else from Latin tendere (“to stretch, extend”) (see tender (verb)). The correct English form is tendril, spelled T-E-N-D-R-I-L.

Definition

  1. 1
    A thin, spirally coiling stem that attaches a plant to its support.
  2. 2
    A hair-like tentacle.
  3. 3
    Anything shaped like a tendril or coil.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how tendril appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. The Gourd, / And thirſty Cucumer, vvhen they perceive / Th' approaching Olive, vvith Reſentment fly / Her fatty Fibres, and vvith Tendrils creep / Diverſe, deteſting Contact; […]
  2. Her blond hair was tied into a half up, half down style with face-framing tendrils.

Etymology

From Middle French tendrillon (“bud, shoot, cartilage”), perhaps a diminutive of tendron (“cartilage”), from Old French tendre (“soft”) (see tender (adjective)), or else from Latin tendere (“to stretch, extend”) (see tender (verb)).

This word in other languages

zarcillo(Español)vrille(Français)Ranke(Deutsch)gavinha(Português)

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 "tendril"?
"tendril" is spelled T-E-N-D-R-I-L. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈtɛn.dɹəl/.
What does "tendril" mean?
As a noun, "tendril" means: A thin, spirally coiling stem that attaches a plant to its support.
How do you pronounce "tendril"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "tendril" is /ˈtɛn.dɹəl/. 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 "tendril"?
From Middle French tendrillon (“bud, shoot, cartilage”), perhaps a diminutive of tendron (“cartilage”), from Old French tendre (“soft”) (see tender (adjective)), or else from Latin tendere (“to stretch, extend”) (see tender (verb)). 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.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "tendril", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 7 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

Thorney#92,150tussock#92,183skitter#92,084vintner#92,219

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list