ancla

[ˈãŋkla]

/[ˈãŋkla]/ noun

The verdict

“ancla” is a moderately-common Spanish word, ranked #21,555 in Spanish word frequency and used as a noun.

#21,555
frequency rank, Spanish
5
letters
7
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Instrumento fuerte de hierro, como arpón o anzuelo de dos lengüetas, el cual afirmado al extremo del cable o gúmena, y arrojado al mar, sirve para aferrar o amarrar las embarcaciones, y asegurarlas...

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

ancla vs anda
60% similar
ancla vs anna
60% similar
ancla vs aula
60% similar

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

Key facts for ancla
PropertyValue
Headwordancla
LanguageSpanish
Part of speechNoun
IPA[ˈãŋkla]
Letters5
Frequency rank#21,555
Misspellings tracked7
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “ancla” sits in Spanish 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). ancla 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 Spanish entry for ancla is 5 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as [ˈãŋkla]. Corpus data places it at rank #21,555 in overall Spanish word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 3 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 7 likely wrong-spelling variants for ancla, with forms such as "acnla", "ancal", and "anccla". 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 20 confusable-pair relationships, "anda", "anna", "aula", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

This entry carries no recorded etymology, so any spelling logic here comes from how the word's sounds map to letters, not a documented origin story. The correct Spanish form is ancla, spelled A-N-C-L-A.

Definition

  1. 1
    Instrumento fuerte de hierro, como arpón o anzuelo de dos lengüetas, el cual afirmado al extremo del cable o gúmena, y arrojado al mar, sirve para aferrar o amarrar las embarcaciones, y asegurarlas del ímpetu de los vientos.
  2. 2
    Pieza de metal que sirve para asegurar o reforzar las partes de una construcción, especialmente los tirantes (largueros que se instalan horizontalmente para dar estabilidad al edificio).
  3. 3
    Parte del cuerpo humano que se encuentra al final de cada brazo, desde la muñeca hasta la punta de los dedos.

Synonyms

This word in other languages

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: acnla,ancal,anccla,anclla,anlca,anncla,nacla

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

acnla2ancal2anccla1anclla1anlca2anncla1nacla2
Edit distance from "ancla"

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 Spanish corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "ancla"?
"ancla" is spelled A-N-C-L-A. The IPA pronunciation is [ˈãŋkla].
What does "ancla" mean?
As a noun, "ancla" means: Instrumento fuerte de hierro, como arpón o anzuelo de dos lengüetas, el cual afirmado al extremo del cable o gúmena, y arrojado al mar, sirve para aferrar o amarrar las embarcaciones, y asegurarlas...
What words are commonly confused with "ancla"?
"ancla" is commonly confused with "anda", "anna", "aula". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "ancla"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "ancla" is [ˈãŋkla]. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "ancla" come from?
"ancla" is a Spanish word. PlainSpell's reference spans five languages -- English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and German -- with definitions, pronunciations, and spelling data for each.
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 “ancla”

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

  • The one correct Spanish spelling is A-N-C-L-A - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as [ˈãŋkla] (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “anda” - see the side-by-side comparison. ancla vs anda
  • Browse more Spanish words and confusable pairs in the same reference. Spanish 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