chipmunk

/ˈt͡ʃɪp.mʌŋk/

//ˈt͡ʃɪp.mʌŋk// noun

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

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

The verdict

“chipmunk” has 13 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #39,732. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#39,732
frequency rank, English
43,570
“C” headwords
13
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Any of the subtribe Tamiina of small, striped rodents; they are found in North America, with the exception of the Siberian chipmunk which is found primarily in Asia.

Key facts for chipmunk
PropertyValue
Headwordchipmunk
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈt͡ʃɪp.mʌŋk/
Letters8
Frequency rank#39,732
Misspellings tracked13
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “chipmunk” 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). chipmunk lands here:

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

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 13 spelling variants around chipmunk (IPA /ˈt͡ʃɪp.mʌŋk/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #39,732 among 43,570 “C” headwords. Dominant gloss: "Any of the subtribe Tamiina of small, striped rodents; they are found in North America, with the exception of the Siberian chipmunk which is found primarily in Asia.".

Our generated misspelling index lists 13 likely wrong-spelling variants for chipmunk, with forms such as "cchipmunk", "chhipmunk", and "chimpunk". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. Our confusable-pair dataset has no match for it, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.

Etymologically, the entry records: 1832; alteration (influenced by chipping squirrel) of earlier chitmunk, from older Ojibwe ačitamo˙nˀ (“squirrels”) (modern ajidamoo), literally ‘those who descend headlong’, from ačit- (“headfirst, face-down”) (compare modern ajijibizo (“he falls headfirst”… The correct English form is chipmunk, spelled C-H-I-P-M-U-N-K.

Definition

  1. 1
    Any of the subtribe Tamiina of small, striped rodents; they are found in North America, with the exception of the Siberian chipmunk which is found primarily in Asia.

Etymology

1832; alteration (influenced by chipping squirrel) of earlier chitmunk, from older Ojibwe ačitamo˙nˀ (“squirrels”) (modern ajidamoo), literally ‘those who descend headlong’, from ačit- (“headfirst, face-down”) (compare modern ajijibizo (“he falls headfirst”), ajidagoojin (“he hangs upside down”)). The English verb developed due to the high-pitched voices of the American puppet and cartoon chipmunks in the group Alvin and the Chipmunks, who later starred in a popular children's TV show in the 1980s.

This word in other languages

tamia(Français)Streifenhörnchen(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • cchipmunk
  • chhipmunk
  • chimpunk
  • chipmmunk
  • chipmnuk
  • chipmukn
  • chipmunkk
  • chipmunnk
  • chippmunk
  • chipumnk
  • chpimunk
  • cihpmunk
  • hcipmunk

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of chipmunk - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

cchipmunk1chhipmunk1chimpunk2chipmmunk1chipmnuk2chipmukn2chipmunkk1chipmunnk1
Edit distance from "chipmunk"

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 "chipmunk"?
"chipmunk" is spelled C-H-I-P-M-U-N-K. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈt͡ʃɪp.mʌŋk/.
What does "chipmunk" mean?
As a noun, "chipmunk" means: Any of the subtribe Tamiina of small, striped rodents; they are found in North America, with the exception of the Siberian chipmunk which is found primarily in Asia.
What are common misspellings of "chipmunk"?
Common misspellings include "cchipmunk", "chhipmunk", "chimpunk", "chipmmunk", "chipmnuk". The correct spelling is "chipmunk".
How do you pronounce "chipmunk"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "chipmunk" is /ˈt͡ʃɪp.mʌŋk/. 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 "chipmunk"?
1832; alteration (influenced by chipping squirrel) of earlier chitmunk, from older Ojibwe ačitamo˙nˀ (“squirrels”) (modern ajidamoo), literally ‘those who descend headlong’, from ačit- (“headfirst, face-down”) (compare modern ajijibizo (“he falls ... 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.

Using “chipmunk”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is C-H-I-P-M-U-N-K - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈt͡ʃɪp.mʌŋk/ (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

Same frequency band

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