Speakur

Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

headword

/ˈhɛdwɝd/

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: 1.13 in modern English

Syllables
head-word
IPA
/ˈhɛdwɝd/
16
Scrabble Score
8
Letters
2
Syllables
7
Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

A word (or compound term) used as the title of a list entry or section, particularly in a dictionary, encyclopedia, or thesaurus.

noun

The head of a phrase.

Example Sentences

Etymology

From head + word. Compare West Frisian haadwurd (“noun, substantive, headword”), Dutch hoofdwoord (“headword”), German Hauptwort (“noun, substantive, headword”), Swedish huvudord (“headword, keyword”).

Regional Pronunciation

  • American English: /ˈhɛdwɝd/
  • British English: /ˈhɛdwɜːd/

Inflected Forms

headwords (plural) head word (alternative)

Derived Forms

subheadword

Phrases

basic form canonical form citation form dictionary form

Frequently Paired Words

basic form canonical form citation form dictionary form lemma heading head subheading

Synonyms

head word

Questions

How do you pronounce headword?
The recorded pronunciation is /ˈhɛdwɝd/.
What does headword mean?
A word (or compound term) used as the title of a list entry or section, particularly in a dictionary, encyclopedia, or thesaurus.
Where does headword come from?
From head + word. Compare West Frisian haadwurd (“noun, substantive, headword”), Dutch hoofdwoord (“headword”), German Hauptwort (“noun, substantive, headword”), Swedish huvudord (“headword, keyword”).

How to pronounce headword

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “headword”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˈhɛdwɝd/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “headword”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “headword” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.