turn of phrase

noun

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

"turn-of-phrase" is a 12-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“turn of phrase” is outside the top-ranked English vocabulary, used as a noun - the kind of word writers most often double-check.

Unranked
below top-frequency English
14
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - An expression which is worded in a distinctive way, especially one which is particularly memorable or artful.

Key facts for turn of phrase
PropertyValue
Headwordturn of phrase
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
Letters14
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “turn of phrase” sits in English frequency

turn of phrase 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.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for turn of phrase is 14 letters long, classified as a noun. It sits outside the most-frequent rank tiers, which is often why uncommon words generate more spelling variants per reader. Wiktionary records 2 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

turn of phrase has no tracked misspelling variants, which points to an orthography that plays by predictable English rules. We don't track a confusable pairing for this entry, since its spelling is unusual enough that it doesn't cluster with a lookalike.

Etymologically, the entry records: Compare trope, with same sense of turn to mean indirect language. The correct English form is turn of phrase, spelled T-U-R-N- -O-F- -P-H-R-A-S-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    An expression which is worded in a distinctive way, especially one which is particularly memorable or artful.
  2. 2
    A distinctive way of wording things, a distinctive way of writing or speaking.

Etymology

Compare trope, with same sense of turn to mean indirect language.

This word in other languages

expresión(Español)tour de phrase(Français)Redewendung(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 "turn of phrase"?
"turn of phrase" is spelled T-U-R-N- -O-F- -P-H-R-A-S-E.
What does "turn of phrase" mean?
As a noun, "turn of phrase" means: An expression which is worded in a distinctive way, especially one which is particularly memorable or artful.
What is the origin of the word "turn of phrase"?
Compare trope, with same sense of turn to mean indirect language. 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 “turn of phrase”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is T-U-R-N- -O-F- -P-H-R-A-S-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • 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