alkie

/ˈæl.ki/

//ˈæl.ki// noun

"alkie" is a 5-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“alkie” is uncommon English (outside the top frequency list), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

Unranked
below top-frequency English
5
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - An alcoholic.

Corpus desk

Index EN-alkie · alkie · English

alkie · unranked · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-UNRANKED Unranked
  • LEN-MID 5 letters
  • VOW-3 3 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-THIN "A" thin
  • PHOTO-UNK Peer pending

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Key facts for alkie
PropertyValue
Headwordalkie
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈæl.ki/
Letters5
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “alkie” in English

alkieranks outside the top 100,000 English headwords, in the long tail of specialist, archaic, or seldom-used vocabulary, exactly the territory where a reader stops mid-sentence to double-check spelling.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

alkie is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as anoun, transcribed /ˈæl.ki/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. Gloss: "An alcoholic.".

No generated misspelling entries exist for alkie in our index, typically a sign the spelling maps closely to how the word sounds. Our dataset records no confusable match here, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.

Etymologically, the entry records: Clipping of alcoholic + -ie. First use appears c. 1844 in the defunct periodical Akron Ohio Buzzard. The correct English form is alkie, spelled A-L-K-I-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    An alcoholic.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how alkie appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. You want to know what it's like to be an alkie, don't you, boy?
  2. Also, she fed patients who were unable to feed themselves and, occasionally, dealt with an alkie who treated a patient badly.

Etymology

Clipping of alcoholic + -ie. First use appears c. 1844 in the defunct periodical Akron Ohio Buzzard.

Synonyms

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "alkie"?
"alkie" is spelled A-L-K-I-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈæl.ki/.
What does "alkie" mean?
As a noun, "alkie" means: An alcoholic.
How do you pronounce "alkie"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "alkie" is /ˈæl.ki/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "alkie"?
Clipping of alcoholic + -ie. First use appears c. 1844 in the defunct periodical Akron Ohio Buzzard. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list