bootlick

/ˈbutˌlɪk/

//ˈbutˌlɪk// verb

"bootlick" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

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

Unranked
below top-frequency English
8
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - To seek favor from by fawning, servile behavior.

Corpus desk

Index EN-bootlick · bootlick · English

bootlick · unranked · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-UNRANKED Unranked
  • LEN-LONG 8 letters
  • VOW-3 3 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-THIN "B" 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 bootlick
PropertyValue
Headwordbootlick
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ˈbutˌlɪk/
Letters8
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “bootlick” in English

bootlickranks 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

bootlick is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as averb, transcribed /ˈbutˌlɪk/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 2 senses are on record.

We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for bootlick, suggesting the orthography follows predictable English patterns. Our confusable-pair dataset has no match for it, which typically means the spelling is too distinctive to be mistaken for another word.

Etymologically, the entry records: From boot + lick. The correct English form is bootlick, spelled B-O-O-T-L-I-C-K.

Definition

  1. 1
    To seek favor from by fawning, servile behavior.
  2. 2
    To engage in fawning, servile behavior.

Recorded use

Wiktionary example

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

  1. He had no social position to protect, no employer to bootlick.

Etymology

From boot + lick.

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 "bootlick"?
"bootlick" is spelled B-O-O-T-L-I-C-K. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈbutˌlɪk/.
What does "bootlick" mean?
As a verb, "bootlick" means: To seek favor from by fawning, servile behavior.
How do you pronounce "bootlick"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "bootlick" is /ˈbutˌlɪk/. 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 "bootlick"?
From boot + lick. 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