toddle

/ˈtɒdəl/

//ˈtɒdəl// verb

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

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

The verdict

“toddle” is uncommon English (outside the top frequency list), classed as a verb. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

Unranked
below top-frequency English
6
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To walk unsteadily, as a small child does.

Key facts for toddle
PropertyValue
Headwordtoddle
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ˈtɒdəl/
Letters6
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “toddle” sits in English frequency

toddle falls outside the top-100,000 ranked English words, the long-tail zone of technical, archaic, or low-frequency vocabulary, exactly where readers second-guess spellings most.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

toddle is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as averb, transcribed /ˈtɒdəl/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 2 senses are on record.

We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for toddle, and the word's spelling is regular enough that our generator found nothing worth flagging. No close-neighbour confusable shows up for this headword in our dataset, since nothing in our dataset looks or sounds close enough to cause mix-ups.

Etymologically, the entry records: Of unknown origin. Possibly a byform of totter. The correct English form is toddle, spelled T-O-D-D-L-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    To walk unsteadily, as a small child does.
  2. 2
    To walk or travel in a carefree manner.

Etymology

Of unknown origin. Possibly a byform of totter.

Synonyms

totter

This word in other languages

tambalearse(Español)chanceler(Français)watscheln(Deutsch)

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "toddle"?
"toddle" is spelled T-O-D-D-L-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈtɒdəl/.
What does "toddle" mean?
As a verb, "toddle" means: To walk unsteadily, as a small child does.
How do you pronounce "toddle"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "toddle" is /ˈtɒdəl/. 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 "toddle"?
Of unknown origin. Possibly a byform of totter. 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 “toddle”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is T-O-D-D-L-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈtɒdəl/ (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