DachsvsDocksWhat's the difference?

Which to use

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

#27,671
“Dachs” frequency rank
#49,588
“Docks” frequency rank
77259
confusion score

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature Dachs Docks
Definition ein Säugetier mit grauem Fell und markanter weiß-schwarzer Fellzeichnung am Kopf, das in den europäischen Wäldern anzutreffen ist; der Europäische Dachs Genitiv Singular des Substantivs Dock

Where the spellings diverge

Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set Dachs and Docks apart are highlighted. They share 3 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.

5 ch
Dachs
5 ch
Docks

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

A purely visual mix-up. Dachs ([daks]) and Docks ([dɔks]) are said differently, so reading them aloud is the quickest way to catch the wrong one. On the page they stay close: they share most of their letters but differ in 2 positions. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 77259, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.

Dachs is recorded at frequency rank #27,671, classified as anoun, pronounced [daks]. Docks is at rank #49,588, tagged as anoun, pronounced [dɔks].

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 77259, this pair ranks #264,838 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - among the most confusable pairs.

Orthographic DNA of Dachs vs Docks

Shared letters: cds. Private to "Dachs": ah. Private to "Docks": ko.

"Dachs" · 5 letters · shape CVCCC  ·  "Docks" · 5 letters · shape CVCCC

Known mistypes of this pair

  • Dachsadchs · dacchs · dachhs · dachss · dacsh · dahcs · dcahs · ddachs
  • Docksdcoks · ddocks · doccks · dockks · dockss · docsk · dokcs · odcks

Frequency comparison

Dachs#27,671
Docks#49,588

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list

Frequently Asked Questions

Can "Dachs" and "Docks" be used interchangeably?
No. They are said differently ([daks] versus [dɔks]) and carry different meanings; reading the sentence aloud is usually enough to catch the wrong one.
Which is more common, "Dachs" or "Docks"?
"Dachs" is the more common of the two: it sits at frequency rank #27,671 in our German list, against #49,588 for "Docks". The two are close in frequency, so neither is a safe default; check the meaning rather than guessing.

Remembering Dachs vs Docks

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 “Dachs” 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 FrequencyWords open word-frequency list