watertight
/ˈwɔː.tə.taɪt/adjective
watertight is spelled W-A-T-E-R-T-I-G-H-T: 10 letters and 3 syllables. It appears about once in every 2 million words in written English, the 37,459th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As an adjective, watertight means “So tightly made that water cannot enter or escape” (English Wiktionary, September 2026).
How many letters and syllables are in watertight?
| Letters | 10: W-A-T-E-R-T-I-G-H-T |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 3 (from its American pronunciation) |
| In writing | about once in every 2 million words; the 37,459th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in 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).
How common is watertight?
Watertight appears about once in every 2 million words in written English, the 37,459th 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 watertight?
- UK /ˈwɔː.tə.taɪt/
- UK /ˈwɑː.tɚ.taɪt/
- UK /ˈwɔː.tɚ.taɪt/
Watertight 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-watertight.wav, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
Words people confuse with watertight
Also written: water-tight (one word or two).
Sources: English Wiktionary (homophones, alternative spellings).
Forms of watertight
- more watertight comparative
- most watertight superlative
- water-tight
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does watertight mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
adjective
- 1
So tightly made that water cannot enter or escape.
- 2
So devised or planned as to be impossible to defeat, evade or nullify.
a watertight alibi
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Watertight in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | étanche |
| German | wasserdicht |
| Portuguese | impermeável |
| Spanish | hermético, estanco , sin fisuras, a toda prueba |
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 watertight come from?
From water + tight. Compare Scots wattirticht (“watertight”), West Frisian wetterticht (“waterproof”), Dutch waterdicht (“waterproof, watertight”), German wasserdicht (“watertight, waterproof”), Danish vandtæt (“watertight”), Swedish vattentät (“watertight, waterproof”).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).