traveller

/ˈtɹævələ/

//ˈtɹævələ// noun

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

"traveller" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“traveller” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #15,298 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#15,298
frequency rank, English
9
letters
11
tracked misspellings
4
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - One who travels, especially to distant lands.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

traveller vs travellers
90% similar
traveller vs traveled
78% similar
traveller vs traveler
89% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for traveller
PropertyValue
Headwordtraveller
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈtɹævələ/
Letters9
Frequency rank#15,298
Misspellings tracked11
Confusable pairs4
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “traveller” 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). traveller lands here:

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

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

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for traveller is 9 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈtɹævələ/. Corpus data places it at rank #15,298 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 10 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 traveller, with forms such as "rtaveller", "tarveller", and "traevller". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. It also participates in 4 confusable-pair relationships, "travellers", "traveled", "traveler", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English traveler, travelour, travailere, travailour (“worker", also "traveller”), equivalent to travel + -er. Compare Anglo-Norman travailur, travailour, Old French travailleor, travelleeur, travelier. The correct English form is traveller, spelled T-R-A-V-E-L-L-E-R.

Definition

  1. 1
    One who travels, especially to distant lands.
  2. 2
    A salesman who travels from place to place on behalf of a company.
  3. 3
    Someone who lives (particularly in the UK) in a caravan, bus or other vehicle rather than a fixed abode.
  4. 4
    Alternative letter-case form of Traveller.
  5. 5
    A list and record of instructions that follows a part in a manufacturing process.
  6. 6
    One of the wires connecting the two members of a pair of three-way switches.
  7. 7
    A metal ring that moves freely on part of a ship’s rigging.
  8. 8
    A rail or track for a sliding curtain.
  9. 9
    A sheet of paper that is circulated with the board of cards, on which players record their scores.
  10. 10
    A styrofoam cup filled with liquor and usually ice, to be taken away from a place.

Etymology

From Middle English traveler, travelour, travailere, travailour (“worker", also "traveller”), equivalent to travel + -er. Compare Anglo-Norman travailur, travailour, Old French travailleor, travelleeur, travelier.

Synonyms

wayfarerbird of passagegadaboutitinerantperegrinatorramblerrovertravellervoyagerwanderer

This word in other languages

viajero(Español)voyageur(Français)Reisender(Deutsch)viajante(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: rtaveller,tarveller,traevller,travelelr,travellerr,travellre,travleler,travveller,trraveller,trvaeller,ttraveller

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of traveller - 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.

rtaveller2tarveller2traevller2travelelr2travellerr1travellre2travleler2travveller1
Edit distance from "traveller"

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 "traveller"?
"traveller" is spelled T-R-A-V-E-L-L-E-R. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈtɹævələ/.
What does "traveller" mean?
As a noun, "traveller" means: One who travels, especially to distant lands.
What words are commonly confused with "traveller"?
"traveller" is commonly confused with "travellers", "traveled", "traveler". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "traveller"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "traveller" is /ˈtɹævələ/. 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 "traveller"?
From Middle English traveler, travelour, travailere, travailour (“worker", also "traveller”), equivalent to travel + -er. Compare Anglo-Norman travailur, travailour, Old French travailleor, travelleeur, travelier. 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 “traveller”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is T-R-A-V-E-L-L-E-R - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈtɹævələ/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “travellers” - see the side-by-side comparison. traveller vs travellers
  • 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 FrequencyWords open word-frequency list