# wick vs wisp

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### wick
*noun · IPA /wɪk/ · frequency rank #18,737*
A braid or bundle of fibre or other porous material (now generally twisted or woven cotton) in a candle, kerosene heater, oil lamp, etc., that draws up a liquid fuel (such as melted tallow or wax, or oil) at one end, to be ignited at the other end to produce a flame.

### wisp
*noun · IPA /wɪsp/ · frequency rank #42,996*
A small bundle, as of straw or other like substance; a twisted handful of something; any slender, flexible structure or group.

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