throttle
/ˈθɹɒt.l̩/
"throttle" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“throttle” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #15,718 in English word frequency and used as a noun.
- #15,718
- frequency rank, English
- 8
- letters
- 11
- tracked misspellings
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A valve that regulates the supply of fuel-air mixture to an internal combustion engine and thus controls its speed; a similar valve that controls the air supply to an engine.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | throttle |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Noun |
| IPA | /ˈθɹɒt.l̩/ |
| Letters | 8 |
| Frequency rank | #15,718 |
| Misspellings tracked | 11 |
| Confusable pairs | 0 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Where “throttle” sits in English frequency
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
The English entry for throttle is 8 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈθɹɒt.l̩/. Corpus data places it at rank #15,718 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 3 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.
Our generated misspelling index lists 11 likely wrong-spelling variants for throttle, with forms such as "htrottle", "thhrottle", and "thorttle". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. We don't track a confusable pairing for this entry, a sign it's visually distinctive enough not to be mixed up with another word.
Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English *throtel, diminutive of throte (“throat”), equivalent to throat + -le. Compare German Drossel (“throttle”). More at throat. The correct English form is throttle, spelled T-H-R-O-T-T-L-E.
Definition
- 1A valve that regulates the supply of fuel-air mixture to an internal combustion engine and thus controls its speed; a similar valve that controls the air supply to an engine.
- 2The lever or pedal that controls this valve.
- 3The windpipe or trachea.
Etymology
From Middle English *throtel, diminutive of throte (“throat”), equivalent to throat + -le. Compare German Drossel (“throttle”). More at throat.
This word in other languages
Common misspellings
Also misspelled as: htrottle,thhrottle,thorttle,throtle,throtlte,throttel,throttlle,thrrottle,thrtotle,trhottle,tthrottle
Misspelling Pattern Breakdown
How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of throttle - 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.
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 "throttle"?
What does "throttle" mean?
What are common misspellings of "throttle"?
How do you pronounce "throttle"?
What is the origin of the word "throttle"?
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Using “throttle”
The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.
- The one correct English spelling is T-H-R-O-T-T-L-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
- Say it as /ˈθɹɒt.l̩/ (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.