Big Apple
"big-apple" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“Big Apple” is uncommon English (outside the top frequency list), classed as a proper noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.
- Unranked
- below top-frequency English
- 9
- letters
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Nickname for New York City: a major city in New York, United States.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | Big Apple |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Proper noun |
| Letters | 9 |
| Misspellings tracked | 0 |
| Confusable pairs | 0 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Where “Big Apple” sits in English frequency
Rare enough to double-check
Big Apple is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as aproper noun. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. Gloss: "Nickname for New York City: a major city in New York, United States.".
Our edit-distance generator produced no likely misspellings for Big Apple, a straightforward case of a spelling with little room for common typos. We don't track a confusable pairing for this entry, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.
Etymologically, the entry records: Popularized by John J. Fitz Gerald in horse-racing articles in the 1920s - an apple being a treat for a horse, and New York being a prize location for horse-racing at the time. From usage among African American stable hands. See the Wikipedia article. The B… The correct English form is Big Apple, spelled B-I-G- -A-P-P-L-E.
Definition
- 1Nickname for New York City: a major city in New York, United States.
Etymology
Popularized by John J. Fitz Gerald in horse-racing articles in the 1920s - an apple being a treat for a horse, and New York being a prize location for horse-racing at the time. From usage among African American stable hands. See the Wikipedia article. The Big Apple. The dream of every lad that ever threw a leg over a thoroughbred and the goal of all horsemen. There's only one Big Apple. That's New York.
This word in other languages
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 "Big Apple"?
What does "Big Apple" mean?
What is the origin of the word "Big Apple"?
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Using “Big Apple”
The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.
- The one correct English spelling is B-I-G- -A-P-P-L-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
- Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source
Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.