bodkin

/ˈbɒdkɪn/

//ˈbɒdkɪn// noun

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

"bodkin" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“bodkin” is uncommon English (frequency #84,039 among 4,121 “B” headwords), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#84,039
frequency rank, English
4,121
“B” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - A small sharp pointed tool for making holes in cloth or leather.

Corpus desk

Index EN-bodkin · bodkin · English

bodkin · rank #84,039 · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-RARE #84,039
  • LEN-LONG 6 letters
  • VOW-2 2 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-MID 4,121
  • PHOTO-FINISH Boddy

Nearest frequency peer: Boddy (-1 rank slots)

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.

Long-tail ranks near “bodkin”

Sparse band: bars invert rank so rarer forms read shorter

corpus weight

What this shows Long-tail view: where “bodkin” sits against similarly uncommon English ranks.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for bodkin
PropertyValue
Headwordbodkin
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈbɒdkɪn/
Letters6
Frequency rank#84,039
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “bodkin” in English

Word frequency stretches from the small set of words we reach for constantly (left) out to the long tail barely used once in a while (right).bodkinfalls in this rarity band:

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

The axis is logarithmic, with each marked tick roughly ten times rarer than the last. Rare peers in the same band: “Boddy” (#84,038), “bobbitt” (#84,037), “boonies” (#84,041). Among 4,121 “B” headwords, “bodkin” is #84,039. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

bodkin is uncommon English at frequency #84,039 among 4,121 “B” headwords, classed as anoun, transcribed /ˈbɒdkɪn/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 6 senses are on record.

Our edit-distance generator produced no likely misspellings for bodkin, suggesting the orthography follows predictable English patterns. This headword has no recorded confusable partner, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English boydekin (“dagger”), apparently from *boyde, *boide (of unknown [Celtic?] origin) + -kin. Cognate with Scots botkin, boitkin, boikin (“bodkin”). The correct English form is bodkin, spelled B-O-D-K-I-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    A small sharp pointed tool for making holes in cloth or leather.
  2. 2
    A blunt needle used for threading ribbon or cord through a hem or casing.
  3. 3
    A hairpin.
  4. 4
    A dagger.
  5. 5
    A type of long thin arrowhead.
  6. 6
    A sharp tool, like an awl, formerly used for pressing down individual type characters (e.g. letters) from a column or page in making corrections.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. As with compulsory Sunday worship, death for blasphemy was for the third offence. A bodkin, a large blunt needle, was thrust through the tongue for the second offence.
  2. A rich, flushed colour—large black eyes—teeth that shone from their brilliant whiteness—a slender shape—and most minute feet, in such little shoes of Cordova leather—a silver chain round her neck, to which hung a medal of the Madonna—a dark-brown boddice and short skirt, relieved by a lacing of scarlet riband—long black hair, bound in one large plait roun…

Etymology

From Middle English boydekin (“dagger”), apparently from *boyde, *boide (of unknown [Celtic?] origin) + -kin. Cognate with Scots botkin, boitkin, boikin (“bodkin”).

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 "bodkin"?
"bodkin" is spelled B-O-D-K-I-N. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈbɒdkɪn/.
What does "bodkin" mean?
As a noun, "bodkin" means: A small sharp pointed tool for making holes in cloth or leather.
How do you pronounce "bodkin"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "bodkin" is /ˈbɒdkɪn/. 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 "bodkin"?
From Middle English boydekin (“dagger”), apparently from *boyde, *boide (of unknown [Celtic?] origin) + -kin. Cognate with Scots botkin, boitkin, boikin (“bodkin”). 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.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "bodkin", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 6 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

browed#84,051biller#84,022Bhalla#84,019Bernat#84,017

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list