waterspout

/ˈwɔː.tə spaʊt/

//ˈwɔː.tə spaʊt// noun

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

"waterspout" is a 10-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“waterspout” is uncommon English (frequency #97,702 among 12,113 “W” headwords), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#97,702
frequency rank, English
12,113
“W” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A whirlwind that forms over water, not associated with a mesocyclone of a thunderstorm (contrary to a true tornado).

Key facts for waterspout
PropertyValue
Headwordwaterspout
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈwɔː.tə spaʊt/
Letters10
Frequency rank#97,702
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “waterspout” 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). waterspout lands here:

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

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

Rare enough to double-check

waterspout is uncommon English at frequency #97,702 among 12,113 “W” headwords, classed as anoun, transcribed /ˈwɔː.tə spaʊt/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 4 senses are on record.

We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for waterspout, a straightforward case of a spelling with little room for common typos. Our dataset records no confusable match here, since its spelling is unusual enough that it doesn't cluster with a lookalike.

Etymologically, the entry records: From water + spout. The correct English form is waterspout, spelled W-A-T-E-R-S-P-O-U-T.

Definition

  1. 1
    A whirlwind that forms over water, not associated with a mesocyclone of a thunderstorm (contrary to a true tornado).
  2. 2
    A true tornado that passes over a body of water.
  3. 3
    A plume of water rising from the surface of a body of water as the result of an explosion or impact.
  4. 4
    A channel through which water is discharged, especially from the gutters of a roof.

Etymology

From water + spout.

This word in other languages

tifón(Español)trombe(Français)Wasserhose(Deutsch)calha(Português)

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 "waterspout"?
"waterspout" is spelled W-A-T-E-R-S-P-O-U-T. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈwɔː.tə spaʊt/.
What does "waterspout" mean?
As a noun, "waterspout" means: A whirlwind that forms over water, not associated with a mesocyclone of a thunderstorm (contrary to a true tornado).
How do you pronounce "waterspout"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "waterspout" is /ˈwɔː.tə spaʊt/. 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 "waterspout"?
From water + spout. 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 “waterspout”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is W-A-T-E-R-S-P-O-U-T - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈwɔː.tə spaʊt/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words

Other uncommon English words near this rank

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