# hic vs hug

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### hic
*intj · IPA /hɪk/ · frequency rank #49,392*
An approximation to the sound of a hiccup, used e.g. to indicate drunkenness.

### hug
*noun · IPA /hʌɡ/ · frequency rank #6,147*
A close embrace, especially when charged with an emotion such as affection, joy, relief, lust, anger, aggression, compassion, and the like, as opposed to being characterized by formality, equivocation or ambivalence (a half-embrace or "little hug").

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hic-vs-hug