watershed

/ˈwɔːtəʃɛd/

//ˈwɔːtəʃɛd// noun

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

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

The verdict

“watershed” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #14,454 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#14,454
frequency rank, English
9
letters
14
tracked misspellings
1
confusable pair

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - The topographical boundary dividing two adjacent catchment basins, such as a ridge or a crest.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

watershed vs watered
78% similar

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

Key facts for watershed
PropertyValue
Headwordwatershed
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈwɔːtəʃɛd/
Letters9
Frequency rank#14,454
Misspellings tracked14
Confusable pairs1
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “watershed” 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). watershed 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 watershed is 9 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈwɔːtəʃɛd/. Corpus data places it at rank #14,454 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 4 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 14 likely wrong-spelling variants for watershed, with forms such as "awtershed", "waetrshed", and "waterhsed". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 1 confusable-pair relationship, "watered", a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: From water + shed. A calque of German Wasserscheide. The correct English form is watershed, spelled W-A-T-E-R-S-H-E-D.

Definition

  1. 1
    The topographical boundary dividing two adjacent catchment basins, such as a ridge or a crest.
  2. 2
    A region of land within which water flows down into a specified body, such as a river, lake, sea, or ocean; a drainage basin.
  3. 3
    A critical point marking a change in course or development.
  4. 4
    The time during the day which material of a more adult nature (e.g., violence, swear words, or sex) may be broadcast on television or radio, either one permitted by law or one contrived from convention (e.g. when children are not watching).

Etymology

From water + shed. A calque of German Wasserscheide.

This word in other languages

parteaguas(Español)ligne de partage des eaux(Français)Wasserscheide(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: awtershed,waetrshed,waterhsed,waterrshed,watersehd,watershde,watershedd,watershhed,watersshed,watesrhed,watreshed,wattershed,wtaershed,wwatershed

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

awtershed2waetrshed2waterhsed2waterrshed1watersehd2watershde2watershedd1watershhed1
Edit distance from "watershed"

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 "watershed"?
"watershed" is spelled W-A-T-E-R-S-H-E-D. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈwɔːtəʃɛd/.
What does "watershed" mean?
As a noun, "watershed" means: The topographical boundary dividing two adjacent catchment basins, such as a ridge or a crest.
What words are commonly confused with "watershed"?
"watershed" is commonly confused with "watered". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "watershed"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "watershed" is /ˈwɔːtəʃɛd/. 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 "watershed"?
From water + shed. A calque of German Wasserscheide. 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 “watershed”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is W-A-T-E-R-S-H-E-D - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈwɔːtəʃɛd/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “watered” - see the side-by-side comparison. watershed vs watered
  • 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