witch-hunt
/ˈwɪtʃhʌnt/
"witch-hunt" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“witch-hunt” is uncommon English (outside the top frequency list), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.
- Unranked
- below top-frequency English
- 10
- letters
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A search for people believed to be using sorcery or harmful magic, typically in order to persecute or punish them.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | witch-hunt |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Noun |
| IPA | /ˈwɪtʃhʌnt/ |
| Letters | 10 |
| Misspellings tracked | 0 |
| Confusable pairs | 0 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Where “witch-hunt” sits in English frequency
Rare enough to double-check
witch-hunt is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as anoun, transcribed /ˈwɪtʃhʌnt/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 3 senses are on record.
The misspelling generator found no plausible variants for witch-hunt, typically a sign the spelling maps closely to how the word sounds. Our dataset records no confusable match here, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.
Etymologically, the entry records: From witch + hunt. The correct English form is witch-hunt, spelled W-I-T-C-H---H-U-N-T.
Definition
- 1A search for people believed to be using sorcery or harmful magic, typically in order to persecute or punish them.
- 2An attempt to find and punish or harass a group of people perceived as a threat, usually on ideological or political grounds.
- 3A public or political campaign or investigation which smears a person or group.
Etymology
From witch + hunt.
This word in other languages
Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you spell "witch-hunt"?
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Using “witch-hunt”
The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.
- The one correct English spelling is W-I-T-C-H---H-U-N-T - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
- Say it as /ˈwɪtʃhʌnt/ (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
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.