windward

/ˈwɪndwə(ɹ)d/

//ˈwɪndwə(ɹ)d// adj

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

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

The verdict

“windward” has 13 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #37,770. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#37,770
frequency rank, English
1,759
“W” headwords
13
tracked misspellings
2
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - Towards the wind, or the direction from which the wind is blowing.

Corpus desk

Index EN-windward · windward · English

windward · rank #37,770 · 13 variants · 2 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #37,770
  • LEN-LONG 8 letters
  • VOW-2 2 vowels
  • CONFUS-LOW 2 pairs
  • VAR-HIGH 13 variants
  • BOOK-MID 1,759
  • PHOTO-FINISH whoo

Nearest frequency peer: whoo (-2 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 “windward”

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

corpus weight

What this shows “windward” 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).

windward vs woodward
75% similar
windward vs wildcard
75% similar

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

Key facts for windward
PropertyValue
Headwordwindward
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ˈwɪndwə(ɹ)d/
Letters8
Frequency rank#37,770
Misspellings tracked13
Confusable pairs2
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “windward”

This scale runs from the tiny cluster of words that carry ordinary speech (left) to the long tail of words almost nobody reaches for (right).windwardlands here:

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

The axis is logarithmic, with each marked tick roughly ten times rarer than the last. Same rarity band neighbours include “whoo” (#37,768), “witcher” (#37,772), “wherefore” (#37,767). Among 1,759 “W” headwords, “windward” is #37,770. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 13 spelling variants around windward (IPA /ˈwɪndwə(ɹ)d/), anadjective. Corpus frequency is #37,770 among 1,759 “W” headwords. Wiktionary lists 3 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 13 likely wrong-spelling variants for windward, with forms such as "iwndward", "widnward", and "windawrd". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 2 confusable-pair relationships, "woodward", "wildcard", a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: From wind + -ward. The correct English form is windward, spelled W-I-N-D-W-A-R-D.

Definition

  1. 1
    Towards the wind, or the direction from which the wind is blowing.
  2. 2
    On the side exposed to the wind.
  3. 3
    In a position of advantage or superiority.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. The windward boat must give way to the leeward boat.
  2. the windward bedroom

Etymology

From wind + -ward.

Synonyms

upwind

Antonyms

leeward

This word in other languages

au vent(Français)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • iwndward
  • widnward
  • windawrd
  • winddward
  • windwadr
  • windwardd
  • windwarrd
  • windwrad
  • windwward
  • winndward
  • winwdard
  • wnidward
  • wwindward

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of windward - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

iwndward2widnward2windawrd2winddward1windwadr2windwardd1windwarrd1windwrad2
Edit distance from "windward"

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 "windward"?
"windward" is spelled W-I-N-D-W-A-R-D. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈwɪndwə(ɹ)d/.
What does "windward" mean?
As an adjective, "windward" means: Towards the wind, or the direction from which the wind is blowing.
What words are commonly confused with "windward"?
"windward" is commonly confused with "woodward", "wildcard". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "windward"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "windward" is /ˈwɪndwə(ɹ)d/. 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 "windward"?
From wind + -ward. 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 "windward", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

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

wavering#37,766woodcock#37,774unmasked#37,753tricycle#37,743

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (13 here; floor ≥5).

wherefore13 variantsactivator13 variantsunaltered13 variantsassociative13 variants

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list