windmill

/ˈwɪn(d).mɪl/

//ˈwɪn(d).mɪl// noun

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

"windmill" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“windmill” has 11 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #23,726. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#23,726
frequency rank, English
1,759
“W” headwords
11
tracked misspellings
1
confusable pair

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - A machine which translates linear motion of wind to rotational motion by means of adjustable vanes called sails.

Corpus desk

Index EN-windmill · windmill · English

windmill · rank #23,726 · 11 variants · 1 confusable

  • FREQ-MID #23,726
  • LEN-LONG 8 letters
  • VOW-2 2 vowels
  • CONFUS-LOW 1 pairs
  • VAR-MID 11 variants
  • BOOK-MID 1,759
  • PHOTO-FINISH workflow

Nearest frequency peer: workflow (+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.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “windmill”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “windmill” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

windmill vs windfall
75% similar

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

Key facts for windmill
PropertyValue
Headwordwindmill
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈwɪn(d).mɪl/
Letters8
Frequency rank#23,726
Misspellings tracked11
Confusable pairs1
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “windmill”

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).windmilllands here:

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

Ticks step logarithmically, so each one marks a roughly tenfold drop in how often the word turns up. Same rarity band neighbours include “workflow” (#23,727), “whistler” (#23,724), “Worthington” (#23,728). Among 1,759 “W” headwords, “windmill” is #23,726. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 11 spelling variants around windmill (IPA /ˈwɪn(d).mɪl/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #23,726 among 1,759 “W” headwords. Wiktionary lists 14 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 11 likely wrong-spelling variants for windmill, with forms such as "iwndmill", "widnmill", and "winddmill". 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, "windfall", a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English wyndmylne, wyndmylle, equivalent to wind + mill. Cognate with Scots wyndmyln, wyndmyl, Saterland Frisian Wíendmäälne, West Frisian wynmûne, Dutch windmolen, Afrikaans windmeul, Dutch Low Saxon windmölle (Achterhooks), wiendmeule (Drents,… The correct English form is windmill, spelled W-I-N-D-M-I-L-L.

Definition

  1. 1
    A machine which translates linear motion of wind to rotational motion by means of adjustable vanes called sails.
  2. 2
    The building or structure containing such machinery.
  3. 3
    A wind turbine, a device for converting wind power into electricity.
  4. 4
    A child's toy consisting of vanes mounted on a stick that rotate when blown by a person or by the wind.
  5. 5
    A dunk where the dunker swings his arm in a circular motion before throwing the ball through the hoop.
  6. 6
    A pitch where the pitcher swings his arm in a circular motion before throwing the ball.
  7. 7
    A guitar move where the strumming hand mimics a turning windmill.
  8. 8
    A breakdancing move in which the dancer rolls his/her torso continuously in a circular path on the floor, across the upper chest, shoulders and back, while twirling the legs in a V shape in the air.
  9. 9
    Any of various muscle exercises in which a large deal of the body makes a great circle, typically one where a kettlebell is raised overhead and the torso is rotated to the other side with the hand reaching its foot (hitting the core, glutes, hamstrings, trapezius, rhomboids, deltoids and rotator cuffs) but sometimes even a windshield wiper.
  10. 10
    Any of various large papilionid butterflies of the genus Byasa, the wings of which resemble the vanes of a windmill.
  11. 11
    The false shower.
  12. 12
    An imaginary enemy, but presented as real.
  13. 13
    The act of windmilling.
  14. 14
    A tactic in which a piece repeatedly gains material, while simultaneously creating an inescapable series of alternating direct and discovered checks.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how windmill appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. Turbines have been around for a long time—windmills and water wheels are early examples. The name comes from the Latin turbo, meaning vortex, and thus the defining property of a turbine is that a fluid or gas turns the blades of a rotor, which is attached to a shaft that can perform useful work.
  2. There was once a windmill and a baker's shop in the middle of Rabbitland. Three rabbits, Rodney, Rudolph and Rosie lived in the windmill.

Etymology

From Middle English wyndmylne, wyndmylle, equivalent to wind + mill. Cognate with Scots wyndmyln, wyndmyl, Saterland Frisian Wíendmäälne, West Frisian wynmûne, Dutch windmolen, Afrikaans windmeul, Dutch Low Saxon windmölle (Achterhooks), wiendmeule (Drents, Veluws), German Low German Windmöhl, German Windmühle, Danish vindmølle, Norwegian Bokmål vindmølle, Norwegian Nynorsk vindmølle, vindmylne, Swedish vindmölla, Icelandic vindmylla. (imaginary enemy): A reference to Don Quixote tilting at windmills.

This word in other languages

moulin à vent(Français)Windmühle(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • iwndmill
  • widnmill
  • winddmill
  • windimll
  • windmil
  • windmlil
  • windmmill
  • winmdill
  • winndmill
  • wnidmill
  • wwindmill

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of windmill - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

iwndmill2widnmill2winddmill1windimll2windmil1windmlil2windmmill1winmdill2
Edit distance from "windmill"

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 "windmill"?
"windmill" is spelled W-I-N-D-M-I-L-L. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈwɪn(d).mɪl/.
What does "windmill" mean?
As a noun, "windmill" means: A machine which translates linear motion of wind to rotational motion by means of adjustable vanes called sails.
What words are commonly confused with "windmill"?
"windmill" is commonly confused with "windfall". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "windmill"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "windmill" is /ˈwɪn(d).mɪl/. 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 "windmill"?
From Middle English wyndmylne, wyndmylle, equivalent to wind + mill. Cognate with Scots wyndmyln, wyndmyl, Saterland Frisian Wíendmäälne, West Frisian wynmûne, Dutch windmolen, Afrikaans windmeul, Dutch Low Saxon windmölle (Achterhooks), wiendmeul... 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 "windmill", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 8 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

workflow#23,727whistler#23,724viscount#23,720YouTuber#23,732

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (11 here; floor ≥5).

walkway11 variantstropics11 variantsanthrax11 variantsBarnard11 variants

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list