turret

/ˈtʌɹ.ɪt/

//ˈtʌɹ.ɪt// noun

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

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

The verdict

“turret” has 7 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #16,813. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#16,813
frequency rank, English
27,828
“T” headwords
7
tracked misspellings
6
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A little tower, frequently a merely ornamental structure at one of the corners of a building or castle.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

turret vs turned
67% similar
turret vs target
67% similar
turret vs turkey
67% similar

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

Key facts for turret
PropertyValue
Headwordturret
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈtʌɹ.ɪt/
Letters6
Frequency rank#16,813
Misspellings tracked7
Confusable pairs6
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “turret” 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). turret lands here:

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

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

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 7 spelling variants around turret (IPA /ˈtʌɹ.ɪt/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #16,813 among 27,828 “T” headwords. Wiktionary lists 7 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 7 likely wrong-spelling variants for turret, with forms such as "truret", "tturret", and "turert". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 6 confusable-pair relationships, "turned", "target", "turkey", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English touret, from Old French torete (French tourette), diminutive of tour (“tower”), from Latin turris. Doublet of tor, tourelle, and tower. See tower. The correct English form is turret, spelled T-U-R-R-E-T.

Definition

  1. 1
    A little tower, frequently a merely ornamental structure at one of the corners of a building or castle.
  2. 2
    A siege tower; a movable building, of a square form, consisting of ten or even twenty stories and sometimes one hundred and twenty cubits high, usually moved on wheels, and employed in approaching a fortified place, for carrying soldiers, engines, ladders, casting bridges, and other necessaries.
  3. 3
    A tower-like solder post on a turret board (a circuit board with posts instead of holes).
  4. 4
    An armoured, rotating gun installation on a fort, ship, aircraft, or armoured fighting vehicle.
  5. 5
    The elevated central portion of the roof of a passenger car, with sides that are pierced for light and ventilation.
  6. 6
    A turret head.
  7. 7
    The central conical ornament atop a spinning roulette wheel.

Etymology

From Middle English touret, from Old French torete (French tourette), diminutive of tour (“tower”), from Latin turris. Doublet of tor, tourelle, and tower. See tower.

Synonyms

cupola

This word in other languages

torrecilla(Español)tourelle(Français)Türmchen(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • truret
  • tturret
  • turert
  • turet
  • turrett
  • turrte
  • utrret

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of turret - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

truret2tturret1turert2turet1turrett1turrte2utrret2
Edit distance from "turret"

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 "turret"?
"turret" is spelled T-U-R-R-E-T. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈtʌɹ.ɪt/.
What does "turret" mean?
As a noun, "turret" means: A little tower, frequently a merely ornamental structure at one of the corners of a building or castle.
What words are commonly confused with "turret"?
"turret" is commonly confused with "turned", "target", "turkey". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "turret"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "turret" is /ˈtʌɹ.ɪt/. 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 "turret"?
From Middle English touret, from Old French torete (French tourette), diminutive of tour (“tower”), from Latin turris. Doublet of tor, tourelle, and tower. See tower. 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 “turret”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is T-U-R-R-E-T - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈtʌɹ.ɪt/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “turned” - see the side-by-side comparison. turret vs turned
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words

Same frequency band

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