bilk

/bɪlk/

//bɪlk// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"bilk" is a 4-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“bilk” is uncommon English (frequency #87,075 among 31,241 “B” headwords), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#87,075
frequency rank, English
31,241
“B” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - The spoiling of someone's score in the crib.

Key facts for bilk
PropertyValue
Headwordbilk
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/bɪlk/
Letters4
Frequency rank#87,075
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “bilk” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). bilk lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

bilk is uncommon English at frequency #87,075 among 31,241 “B” headwords, classed as anoun, transcribed /bɪlk/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 3 senses are on record.

No generated misspelling entries exist for bilk in our index, since its letter sequence doesn't invite the usual edit-distance slips. 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: Uncertain; perhaps a variant form of balk. The correct English form is bilk, spelled B-I-L-K.

Definition

  1. 1
    The spoiling of someone's score in the crib.
  2. 2
    A deception, a hoax.
  3. 3
    A cheat or swindler.

Etymology

Uncertain; perhaps a variant form of balk.

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "bilk"?
"bilk" is spelled B-I-L-K. The IPA pronunciation is /bɪlk/.
What does "bilk" mean?
As a noun, "bilk" means: The spoiling of someone's score in the crib.
How do you pronounce "bilk"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "bilk" is /bɪlk/. 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 "bilk"?
Uncertain; perhaps a variant form of balk. 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.

Using “bilk”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is B-I-L-K - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /bɪlk/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words

Other uncommon English words near this rank

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.

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list