# tabby vs tacky

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### tabby
*noun · IPA /ˈtæb.i/ · frequency rank #37,725*
A kind of waved silk, usually called watered silk, manufactured like taffeta, but thicker and stronger. The watering is given to it by calendering.

### tacky
*adjective · IPA /ˈtæki/ · frequency rank #23,121*
Of a substance, slightly sticky.

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