Which to use
“hic” and “hist” are a confusable English pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #49,392
- “hic” frequency rank
- #34,524
- “hist” frequency rank
- 83916
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | hic | hist |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | An approximation to the sound of a hiccup, used e.g. to indicate drunkenness. | An utterance used to discreetly attract someone's attention. |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set hic and hist apart are highlighted. They share 2 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
A purely visual mix-up. hic (/hɪk/) and hist (/hɪst/) 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 letter(s) in length. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 83916, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
hic is recorded at frequency rank #49,392, classified as anintj, pronounced /hɪk/. hist is at rank #34,524, tagged as anintj, pronounced /hɪst/.
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 83916, this pair ranks #12,940 of 530,003 scored English confusable pairs - among the most confusable pairs.
Orthographic DNA of hic vs hist
Shared letters: hi. Private to "hic": c. Private to "hist": st.
"hic" · 3 letters · shape CVC · "hist" · 4 letters · shape CVCC
Known mistypes of this pair
- hist ← hhist · hisst · histt · ihst
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "hic" and "hist" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "hic" or "hist"?
Remembering hic vs hist
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 “hic” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable