windage

/ˈwɪndɪd͡ʒ/

//ˈwɪndɪd͡ʒ// noun

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

"windage" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“windage” is uncommon English (frequency #94,440 among 1,759 “W” headwords), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#94,440
frequency rank, English
1,759
“W” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - Drag on the crankshaft caused by oil splashing out of the sump when rotating at high speeds.

Corpus desk

Index EN-windage · windage · English

windage · rank #94,440 · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-RARE #94,440
  • LEN-LONG 7 letters
  • VOW-3 3 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-MID 1,759
  • PHOTO-FINISH Wilke

Nearest frequency peer: Wilke (-1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Long-tail ranks near “windage”

Sparse band: bars invert rank so rarer forms read shorter

corpus weight

What this shows Long-tail view: where “windage” sits against similarly uncommon English ranks.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for windage
PropertyValue
Headwordwindage
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈwɪndɪd͡ʒ/
Letters7
Frequency rank#94,440
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “windage” in English

Word frequency stretches from the small set of words we reach for constantly (left) out to the long tail barely used once in a while (right).windagefalls in this rarity band:

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

The axis is logarithmic, with each marked tick roughly ten times rarer than the last. Rare peers in the same band: “Wilke” (#94,439), “windlass” (#94,441), “wingnut” (#94,442). Among 1,759 “W” headwords, “windage” is #94,440. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

windage is uncommon English at frequency #94,440 among 1,759 “W” headwords, classed as anoun, transcribed /ˈwɪndɪd͡ʒ/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 5 senses are on record.

No generated misspelling entries exist for windage in our index, suggesting the orthography follows predictable English patterns. No confusable counterpart is on file for this word, since its spelling is unusual enough that it doesn't cluster with a lookalike.

Etymologically, the entry records: From wind + -age. The correct English form is windage, spelled W-I-N-D-A-G-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    Drag on the crankshaft caused by oil splashing out of the sump when rotating at high speeds.
  2. 2
    The difference in diameter between the bore of a firearm and the shot.
  3. 3
    Horizontal adjustment of the sight of a firearm or bow.
  4. 4
    A contusion caused by a projectile that does not enter the skin, due to either compressed air or a glancing blow
  5. 5
    Exposure to the wind.

Etymology

From wind + -age.

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 "windage"?
"windage" is spelled W-I-N-D-A-G-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈwɪndɪd͡ʒ/.
What does "windage" mean?
As a noun, "windage" means: Drag on the crankshaft caused by oil splashing out of the sump when rotating at high speeds.
How do you pronounce "windage"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "windage" is /ˈwɪndɪd͡ʒ/. 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 "windage"?
From wind + -age. 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.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "windage", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 7 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

wingnut#94,442Whitsun#94,435Vandana#94,405unction#94,382

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list