CocktailvsCocktailsWhat's the difference?

Which to use

“Cocktail” and “Cocktails” are a confusable German pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.

#13,794
“Cocktail” frequency rank
#16,667
“Cocktails” frequency rank
30461
confusion score

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature Cocktail Cocktails
Definition ein alkoholisches Mischgetränk Nominativ Plural des Substantivs Cocktail

Where the spellings diverge

Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set Cocktail and Cocktails apart are highlighted. They share 8 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.

8 ch
Cocktail
9 ch
Cocktails

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

A purely visual mix-up. Cocktail ([ˈkɔktɛɪ̯l]) and Cocktails ([ˈkɔktɛɪ̯ls]) are said differently, so reading them aloud is the quickest way to catch the wrong one. On the page they stay close: they differ by 1 extra letter(s) - “Cocktail” sits inside “Cocktails”. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 30461, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.

Cocktail is recorded at frequency rank #13,794, classified as anoun, pronounced [ˈkɔktɛɪ̯l]. Cocktails is at rank #16,667, tagged as anoun, pronounced [ˈkɔktɛɪ̯ls].

Glosses for this pair are partially populated in our dataset, but the full side-by-side definitions above should still guide you to the right choice.

With a confusion score of 30461, this pair ranks #1,747,371 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.

Orthographic DNA of Cocktail vs Cocktails

Shared letters: aciklot. Private to "Cocktail": -. Private to "Cocktails": s.

"Cocktail" · 8 letters · shape CVCCCVVC  ·  "Cocktails" · 9 letters · shape CVCCCVVCC

Known mistypes of this pair

  • Cocktailccocktail · ccoktail · coccktail · cockatil · cockktail · cocktaill · cocktali · cocktial
  • Cocktailsccocktails · ccoktails · coccktails · cockatils · cockktails · cocktaills · cocktailss · cocktaisl

Frequency comparison

Cocktail#13,794
Cocktails#16,667

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list

Frequently Asked Questions

Can "Cocktail" and "Cocktails" be used interchangeably?
No. They are said differently ([ˈkɔktɛɪ̯l] versus [ˈkɔktɛɪ̯ls]) and carry different meanings; reading the sentence aloud is usually enough to catch the wrong one.
Which is more common, "Cocktail" or "Cocktails"?
"Cocktail" is the more common of the two: it sits at frequency rank #13,794 in our German list, against #16,667 for "Cocktails". The two are close in frequency, so neither is a safe default; check the meaning rather than guessing.

Remembering Cocktail vs Cocktails

The fastest way to pick the right one every time.

  • Read both glosses above and match the meaning you intend, only context separates this pair.
  • See each word in full, definition, IPA, etymology and its other confusables. Full “Cocktail” entry
  • Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list