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How do you spell Handkerchief?

Correct spelling

handkerchief

HAND + KERCHIEF. A hand cloth (kerchief).

Why is handkerchief spelled this way?

A compound of HAND + KERCHIEF, where kerchief itself means head-covering (from French couvre-chef). The D and K meeting in the middle creates the pronunciation challenge.

Common misspellings of handkerchief

hankerchiefhandkerchifhandkercheifhankerchif

Example

He offered her his handkerchief.

Frequently asked questions

How do you spell handkerchief?+
The correct spelling is "handkerchief". HAND + KERCHIEF. A hand cloth (kerchief).
Is it hankerchief or handkerchief?+
The correct spelling is "handkerchief", not "hankerchief". This word gets 8,000+ monthly searches.

Other commonly misspelled words

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More spelling guides

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