tracery

/ˈtɹeɪsəɹi/

//ˈtɹeɪsəɹi// noun

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

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

The verdict

“tracery” is uncommon English (frequency #70,339 among 27,828 “T” headwords), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#70,339
frequency rank, English
27,828
“T” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Bars or ribs, usually of stone or wood, or other material, that subdivide an opening or stand in relief against a door or wall as an ornamental feature.

Key facts for tracery
PropertyValue
Headwordtracery
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈtɹeɪsəɹi/
Letters7
Frequency rank#70,339
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “tracery” 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). tracery lands here:

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

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

tracery is uncommon English at frequency #70,339 among 27,828 “T” headwords, classed as anoun, transcribed /ˈtɹeɪsəɹi/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 2 senses are on record.

No misspelling variants are generated for tracery in our index, typically a sign the spelling maps closely to how the word sounds. Our confusable-pair dataset has no match for it, which typically means the spelling is too distinctive to be mistaken for another word.

Etymologically, the entry records: From trace + -ery. The correct English form is tracery, spelled T-R-A-C-E-R-Y.

Definition

  1. 1
    Bars or ribs, usually of stone or wood, or other material, that subdivide an opening or stand in relief against a door or wall as an ornamental feature.
  2. 2
    A delicate interlacing of lines reminiscent of the architectural ornament.

Etymology

From trace + -ery.

This word in other languages

tracería(Español)tracerie(Français)Maßwerk(Deutsch)

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 "tracery"?
"tracery" is spelled T-R-A-C-E-R-Y. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈtɹeɪsəɹi/.
What does "tracery" mean?
As a noun, "tracery" means: Bars or ribs, usually of stone or wood, or other material, that subdivide an opening or stand in relief against a door or wall as an ornamental feature.
How do you pronounce "tracery"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "tracery" is /ˈtɹeɪsəɹi/. 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 "tracery"?
From trace + -ery. 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 “tracery”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is T-R-A-C-E-R-Y - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈtɹeɪsəɹi/ (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

Other uncommon English words near this rank

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