SmileyvsSmileysWhat's the difference?

Which to use

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

#20,742
“Smiley” frequency rank
#40,210
“Smileys” frequency rank
60952
confusion score

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature Smiley Smileys
Definition ein minimalistisch gezeichnetes lächelndes Gesicht Genitiv Singular des Substantivs Smiley

Where the spellings diverge

Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set Smiley and Smileys apart are highlighted. They share 6 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.

6 ch
Smiley
7 ch
Smileys

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

A purely visual mix-up. Smiley ([ˈsmaɪ̯liː]) and Smileys ([ˈsmaɪ̯liːs]) 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) - “Smiley” sits inside “Smileys”. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 60952, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.

Smiley is recorded at frequency rank #20,742, classified as anoun, pronounced [ˈsmaɪ̯liː]. Smileys is at rank #40,210, tagged as anoun, pronounced [ˈsmaɪ̯liːs].

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 60952, this pair ranks #767,802 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.

Orthographic DNA of Smiley vs Smileys

Shared letters: eilmsy. Private to "Smiley": -. Private to "Smileys": -.

"Smiley" · 6 letters · shape CCVCVV  ·  "Smileys" · 7 letters · shape CCVCVVC

Known mistypes of this pair

  • Smileymsiley · simley · smiely · smileyy · smilley · smilye · smliey · smmiley
  • Smileysmsileys · simleys · smielys · smilesy · smileyss · smileyys · smilleys · smilyes

Frequency comparison

Smiley#20,742
Smileys#40,210

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list

Frequently Asked Questions

Can "Smiley" and "Smileys" be used interchangeably?
No. They are said differently ([ˈsmaɪ̯liː] versus [ˈsmaɪ̯liːs]) and carry different meanings; reading the sentence aloud is usually enough to catch the wrong one.
Which is more common, "Smiley" or "Smileys"?
"Smiley" is the more common of the two: it sits at frequency rank #20,742 in our German list, against #40,210 for "Smileys". The two are close in frequency, so neither is a safe default; check the meaning rather than guessing.

Remembering Smiley vs Smileys

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 “Smiley” 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