waterproof
/ˈwɔt̬ɚˌpruf/adjective, verb, noun
waterproof is spelled W-A-T-E-R-P-R-O-O-F: 10 letters and 3 syllables. It appears 3.5 times per million words in written English, the 13,897th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As an adjective, waterproof means “Resistant to the effects of water” (English Wiktionary, September 2026).
How many letters and syllables are in waterproof?
| Letters | 10: W-A-T-E-R-P-R-O-O-F |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 3 (from its American pronunciation) |
| In writing | 3.5 times per million words; the 13,897th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
| Pairs people 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); Bing searches in the United States: the average month from September 2025 to August 2026 (Microsoft Advertising keyword data through DataForSEO, read September 30, 2026).
How common is waterproof?
Waterproof appears 3.5 times per million words in written English, the 13,897th 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 waterproof?
- UK /ˈwɔːtəˌpruːf/
- US /ˈwɔt̬ɚˌpruf/
- US /ˈwɑ(ː)t̬ɚ-/
Waterproof has 3 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-waterproof.wav, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
Words people confuse with waterproof
Word pairs people search, with the monthly searches for “a vs b” (G: Google, B: Bing, United States).
Also written: water-proof (one word or two).
Sources: Google and Bing searches (September 2025 to August 2026, through DataForSEO); English Wiktionary (homophones, alternative spellings).
Forms of waterproof
- more waterproof comparative
- most waterproof superlative
- waterproofs present, singular, he/she/it, plural
- waterproofing participle, present
- waterproofed participle, past
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does waterproof mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
adjective
- 1
Resistant to the effects of water.
- 2
Made of or covered with material that doesn't allow water in; impervious to water and immune to its effects.
- 3
Incapable of failing; unassailable.
- 4
Not dependent on an aquatic environment to live; thus, able to live on dry land, or at least in a semiaquatic environment.
verb
- 1
To make waterproof or water-resistant.
noun
- 1
A substance or preparation for rendering cloth, leather, etc., impervious to water.
- 2
Cloth made waterproof, or any article made of such cloth, or of other waterproof material, as rubber; especially, an outer garment made of such material.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Waterproof in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | résistant à l'eau , waterproof, étanche, imperméable , étanchéifier |
| German | wasserfest , wasserdicht, wasserundurchlässig |
| Portuguese | à prova de água, impermeável , capa de chuva |
| Spanish | impermeable , impermeabilizar |
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 waterproof come from?
From water + -proof. Compare West Frisian wetterproef (“waterproof”), Dutch waterproef (“waterproof”).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).