# cant

> English word · Noun · IPA /kænt/ · frequency rank #3,928

## Definitions
1. An argot, the jargon of a particular class or subgroup.
2. A private or secret language used by a religious sect, gang, or other group.
3. A language spoken by some Irish Travellers; Shelta.
4. Empty, hypocritical talk.
5. Whining speech, such as that used by beggars.
6. A blazon of a coat of arms that makes a pun upon the name (or, less often, some attribute or function) of the bearer, canting arms.
7. A call for bidders at a public fair; an auction.

## Etymology
From Latin cantō probably via Old Northern French canter (“sing, tell”). Doublet of chant.

## Easily confused with
- **CT** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/cant-vs-ct)
- **car** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/cant-vs-car)
- **cut** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/cant-vs-cut)
- **cat** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/cant-vs-cat)
- **cap** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/cant-vs-cap)
- **CNN** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/cant-vs-cnn)
- **con** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/cant-vs-con)
- **cas** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/cant-vs-cas)
- **cot** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/cant-vs-cot)
- **Cao** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/cant-vs-cao)
- **CRT** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/cant-vs-crt)
- **CST** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/cant-vs-cst)
- **CNS** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/cant-vs-cns)
- **CBT** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/cant-vs-cbt)
- **CNC** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/cant-vs-cnc)
- **CET** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/cant-vs-cet)
- **cit** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/cant-vs-cit)
- **Cdn** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/cant-vs-cdn)
- **cay** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/cant-vs-cay)
- **caw** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/cant-vs-caw)

## Common misspellings (6)
`acnt`, `cannt`, `cantt`, `catn`, `ccant`, `cnat`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/cant