wristwatch

/ˈɹɪstˌwɒt͡ʃ/

//ˈɹɪstˌwɒt͡ʃ// noun

"wristwatch" is a 10-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“wristwatch” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #41,958 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#41,958
frequency rank, English
10
letters
17
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A watch that is worn on a strap or band fastened around the wrist

Key facts for wristwatch
PropertyValue
Headwordwristwatch
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈɹɪstˌwɒt͡ʃ/
Letters10
Frequency rank#41,958
Misspellings tracked17
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “wristwatch” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). wristwatch lands here:

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

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for wristwatch is 10 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈɹɪstˌwɒt͡ʃ/. Corpus data places it at rank #41,958 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. The dominant gloss from Wiktionary reads: "A watch that is worn on a strap or band fastened around the wrist".

Our generated misspelling index lists 17 likely wrong-spelling variants for wristwatch, with forms such as "rwistwatch", "wirstwatch", and "wrisstwatch". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. Our dataset records no confusable match here, since nothing in our dataset looks or sounds close enough to cause mix-ups.

Etymologically, the entry records: From wrist + watch. The correct English form is wristwatch, spelled W-R-I-S-T-W-A-T-C-H.

Definition

  1. 1
    A watch that is worn on a strap or band fastened around the wrist

Etymology

From wrist + watch.

This word in other languages

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: rwistwatch,wirstwatch,wrisstwatch,wristawtch,wristtwatch,wristwacth,wristwatcch,wristwatchh,wristwathc,wristwattch,wristwtach,wristwwatch,wriswtatch,writswatch,wrristwatch,wrsitwatch,wwristwatch

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of wristwatch - 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.

rwistwatch2wirstwatch2wrisstwatch1wristawtch2wristtwatch1wristwacth2wristwatcch1wristwatchh1
Edit distance from "wristwatch"

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 "wristwatch"?
"wristwatch" is spelled W-R-I-S-T-W-A-T-C-H. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈɹɪstˌwɒt͡ʃ/.
What does "wristwatch" mean?
As a noun, "wristwatch" means: A watch that is worn on a strap or band fastened around the wrist
What are common misspellings of "wristwatch"?
Common misspellings include "rwistwatch", "wirstwatch", "wrisstwatch", "wristawtch", "wristtwatch". The correct spelling is "wristwatch".
How do you pronounce "wristwatch"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "wristwatch" is /ˈɹɪstˌwɒt͡ʃ/. 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 "wristwatch"?
From wrist + watch. 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.

Using “wristwatch”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is W-R-I-S-T-W-A-T-C-H - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈɹɪstˌwɒt͡ʃ/ (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.

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list