chickenpox

/ˈt͡ʃɪ.k(ə)nˌpɑks/

//ˈt͡ʃɪ.k(ə)nˌpɑks// noun

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

"chickenpox" is a 10-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“chickenpox” is uncommon English (frequency #54,687 among 43,570 “C” headwords), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#54,687
frequency rank, English
43,570
“C” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Alternative form of chicken pox.

Key facts for chickenpox
PropertyValue
Headwordchickenpox
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈt͡ʃɪ.k(ə)nˌpɑks/
Letters10
Frequency rank#54,687
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “chickenpox” 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). chickenpox 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

chickenpox is uncommon English at frequency #54,687 among 43,570 “C” headwords, classed as anoun, transcribed /ˈt͡ʃɪ.k(ə)nˌpɑks/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. Gloss: "Alternative form of chicken pox.".

We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for chickenpox, which points to an orthography that plays by predictable English rules. We don't track a confusable pairing for this entry, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.

No explicit etymology string is stored for this entry, so its spelling is best explained by sound-to-letter mapping rather than etymology. The correct English form is chickenpox, spelled C-H-I-C-K-E-N-P-O-X.

Definition

  1. 1
    Alternative form of chicken pox.

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 "chickenpox"?
"chickenpox" is spelled C-H-I-C-K-E-N-P-O-X. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈt͡ʃɪ.k(ə)nˌpɑks/.
What does "chickenpox" mean?
As a noun, "chickenpox" means: Alternative form of chicken pox.
How do you pronounce "chickenpox"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "chickenpox" is /ˈt͡ʃɪ.k(ə)nˌpɑks/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "chickenpox" come from?
"chickenpox" is a English word. PlainSpell's reference spans five languages -- English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and German -- with definitions, pronunciations, and spelling data for each.
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 “chickenpox”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is C-H-I-C-K-E-N-P-O-X - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈt͡ʃɪ.k(ə)nˌpɑks/ (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 FrequencyWords open word-frequency list