chicane

/ʃɪˈkeɪn/

//ʃɪˈkeɪn// noun

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

"chicane" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“chicane” is uncommon English (frequency #60,711 among 5,599 “C” headwords), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#60,711
frequency rank, English
5,599
“C” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - A quibble, a pedantic or dishonest objection; an act of deception.

Corpus desk

Index EN-chicane · chicane · English

chicane · rank #60,711 · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-RARE #60,711
  • LEN-LONG 7 letters
  • VOW-3 3 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-DENSE 5,599
  • PHOTO-FINISH Chelyabinsk

Nearest frequency peer: Chelyabinsk (-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 “chicane”

Sparse band: bars invert rank so rarer forms read shorter

corpus weight

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

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for chicane
PropertyValue
Headwordchicane
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ʃɪˈkeɪn/
Letters7
Frequency rank#60,711
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “chicane” in English

This scale runs from the tiny cluster of words that carry ordinary speech (left) to the long tail of words almost nobody reaches for (right).chicanefalls 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: “Chelyabinsk” (#60,710), “clematis” (#60,713), “climatology” (#60,714). Among 5,599 “C” headwords, “chicane” is #60,711. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

chicane is uncommon English at frequency #60,711 among 5,599 “C” headwords, classed as anoun, transcribed /ʃɪˈkeɪn/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 5 senses are on record.

chicane has no tracked misspelling variants, typically a sign the spelling maps closely to how the word sounds. This entry stands alone in our confusable dataset, since its spelling is unusual enough that it doesn't cluster with a lookalike.

Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowed from French chicane. The correct English form is chicane, spelled C-H-I-C-A-N-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    A quibble, a pedantic or dishonest objection; an act of deception.
  2. 2
    The use of dishonest means or subterfuge to achieve one's (especially political) goals; chicanery, trickery.
  3. 3
    The holding of a hand without trumps, or the hand itself.
  4. 4
    A sharp double bend on a racecourse, designed to prevent unsafe speeds; an obstacle creating a curve.
  5. 5
    A raised area or other obstacle around which vehicles must drive, especially designed to reduce speed.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. 1775, Edmund Burke, speech on conciliation with America In this character of the Americans, a love of freedom is the predominating feature which marks and distinguishes the whole; and as an ardent is always a jealous affection, your Colonies become suspicious, restive, and untractable whenever they see the least attempt to wrest from them by force, or shu…
  2. ‘That they may be unlearned in the detestable chicane of politics, is certain; but, they are also uncorrupted by the odious and pernicious maxims of the unfeeling tools of despotism.’

Etymology

Borrowed from French chicane.

This word in other languages

Schikane(Deutsch)

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 "chicane"?
"chicane" is spelled C-H-I-C-A-N-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ʃɪˈkeɪn/.
What does "chicane" mean?
As a noun, "chicane" means: A quibble, a pedantic or dishonest objection; an act of deception.
How do you pronounce "chicane"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "chicane" is /ʃɪˈkeɪn/. 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 "chicane"?
Borrowed from French chicane. 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 "chicane", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 7 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

Coakley#60,716castell#60,700Cookson#60,726carbone#60,691

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list