treadmill
/ˈtɹɛd.mɪl/noun, verb
treadmill is spelled T-R-E-A-D-M-I-L-L: 9 letters and 2 syllables. It appears 2.2 times per million words in written English, the 18,297th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a noun, treadmill means “A piece of indoor sporting equipment used to allow for the motions of running or walking while staying in one place” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). The plural of treadmill is treadmills.
How many letters and syllables are in treadmill?
| Letters | 9: T-R-E-A-D-M-I-L-L |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 2 (from its American pronunciation) |
| In writing | 2.2 times per million words; the 18,297th 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 treadmill?
Treadmill appears 2.2 times per million words in written English, the 18,297th 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 treadmill?
- /ˈtɹɛd.mɪl/
Treadmill has 2 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: LL-Q1860_(eng)-Vealhurl-treadmill.wav, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
Forms of treadmill
- treadmills plural, present, singular, he/she/it
- treadmilling participle, present
- treadmilled participle, past
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does treadmill mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
noun
- 1
A piece of indoor sporting equipment used to allow for the motions of running or walking while staying in one place.
- 2
A mill worked by persons treading upon steps on the periphery of a wide wheel having a horizontal axis. It was used principally as a means of prison discipline.
- 3
A mill worked by horses, dogs, etc., treading an endless belt.
- 4
A process or situation in which continued effort leads to or is required for remaining at a particular state or level without moving ahead.
verb
- 1
To exercise on a treadmill.
- 2
To keep busy, for example, with work or with other tasks, without being able to get ahead or make progress towards long-term goals.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Treadmill in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | tapis roulant, tapis de course, tapis de marche , roue de carrier |
| German | Laufband , Tretmühle |
| Portuguese | esteira ergométrica, passadeira |
| Spanish | cinta ergométrica, máquina de caminar, andadora, caminadora, cinta de correr, trotadora |
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 treadmill come from?
From tread + mill. Its figurative senses refer to the idea that running on a treadmill requires continued effort and motion to remain in the same place.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).