thoroughfare
/ˈθʌɹəfɛː/noun
thoroughfare is spelled T-H-O-R-O-U-G-H-F-A-R-E: 12 letters and 3 syllables. It appears about once in every 1 million words in written English, the 32,393rd most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a noun, thoroughfare means “A passage; a way through” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). The plural of thoroughfare is thoroughfares.
How many letters and syllables are in thoroughfare?
| Letters | 12: T-H-O-R-O-U-G-H-F-A-R-E |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 3 (from its American pronunciation) |
| In writing | about once in every 1 million words; the 32,393rd most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation and the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How common is thoroughfare?
Thoroughfare appears about once in every 1 million words in written English, the 32,393rd most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce thoroughfare?
- UK /ˈθʌɹəfɛː/
- /ˈθəɹ.ə.fɛɹ/
Thoroughfare has 3 syllables (counted from its American pronunciation in the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: En-au-thoroughfare.ogg, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
Forms of thoroughfare
- thoroughfares plural
- thorofare
- throughfare
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does thoroughfare mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
noun
- 1
A passage; a way through.
- 2
A road open at both ends or connecting one area with another; a highway or main street.
- 3
The act of going through; passage; travel, transit.
The sign leading to the other carriage reads: No thoroughfare.
- 4
An unobstructed waterway allowing passage for ships.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Thoroughfare in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | passage , grand-rue, voie principale, artère , voie navigable |
| German | Durchfahrt, Durchgangsstraße , Hauptverkehrsstraße, Verkehrsader , Wasserstrasse |
| Portuguese | passagem , via pública , hidrovia |
| Spanish | pasaje , vía pública, vía de comunicación f gran rúa , canal |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does thoroughfare come from?
From Middle English thurghfare, corresponding to thorough- (“through”) + fare. Compare Old English þurhfaran (“to go through, go over, traverse, pierce, pass through, pass beyond, transcend, penetrate”). Compare also Old English þurhfær (“inner secret place”), German Durchfahrt (“passage through, thoroughfare”).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).