# hornet vs horny

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### hornet
*noun · IPA /ˈhɔː.nɪt/ · frequency rank #23,863*
Any large wasp of the genus Vespa, having a brown-and-yellow-striped body and the ability to inflict a serious sting.

### horny
*adjective · IPA /ˈhɔːni/ · frequency rank #9,763*
Hard or bony, like an animal's horn.

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