Which to use
“mink” and “monks” are a confusable English pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #23,904
- “mink” frequency rank
- #10,889
- “monks” frequency rank
- 34793
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | mink | monks |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Any semi-aquatic, carnivorous mammal in the Mustelinae subfamily, similar to weasels, with dark fur, native to Europe and America, of which two species in different genera are extant: the American mink (Neogale vison) and the European mink (Mustela lutreola). | plural of monk |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set mink and monks apart are highlighted. They share 3 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
mink and monks form a confusable pair in the English index, two distinct headwords that are easily confused because they look alike, sound alike, or both. They differ by 1 letter(s) in length - close enough that the eye skips over the difference, far enough that meaning fully diverges. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 34793, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
mink is recorded at frequency rank #23,904, classified as anoun, pronounced /mɪŋk/. monks is at rank #10,889, tagged as anoun, pronounced /mʌŋks/.
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 34793, this pair ranks #317,639 of 530,003 scored English confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "mink" and "monks" be used interchangeably?
Remembering mink vs monks
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 “mink” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable