chunk

/t͡ʃʌŋk/

//t͡ʃʌŋk// noun

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

"chunk" is a 5-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“chunk” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #12,204 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#12,204
frequency rank, English
5
letters
8
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A part of something that has been separated; a generally squat, thick, irregular piece of something, e.g. wood or stone.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

chunk vs cunt
60% similar
chunk vs cuck
60% similar
chunk vs cuny
60% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for chunk
PropertyValue
Headwordchunk
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/t͡ʃʌŋk/
Letters5
Frequency rank#12,204
Misspellings tracked8
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “chunk” 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). chunk lands here:

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

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

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for chunk is 5 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /t͡ʃʌŋk/. Corpus data places it at rank #12,204 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 5 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 8 likely wrong-spelling variants for chunk, with forms such as "cchunk", "chhunk", and "chnuk". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "cunt", "cuck", "cuny", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: Variant of chuck; or alternatively a diminutive of chump (“chunk; block”) + *-k (diminutive suffix) (compare hunk from hump, etc.). Also compare Dutch schonk. The correct English form is chunk, spelled C-H-U-N-K.

Definition

  1. 1
    A part of something that has been separated; a generally squat, thick, irregular piece of something, e.g. wood or stone.
  2. 2
    A part of something that has been separated; a generally squat, thick, irregular piece of something, e.g. wood or stone.
  3. 3
    A sequence of two or more words that occur in language with high frequency but are not idiomatic.
  4. 4
    A discrete segment of a file, stream, etc. (especially one that represents audiovisual media); a block.
  5. 5
    A segment of a comedian's performance.

Etymology

Variant of chuck; or alternatively a diminutive of chump (“chunk; block”) + *-k (diminutive suffix) (compare hunk from hump, etc.). Also compare Dutch schonk.

This word in other languages

trozo(Español)pièce(Français)Stück(Deutsch)pedaço(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: cchunk,chhunk,chnuk,chukn,chunkk,chunnk,cuhnk,hcunk

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of chunk - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

cchunk1chhunk1chnuk2chukn2chunkk1chunnk1cuhnk2hcunk2
Edit distance from "chunk"

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 "chunk"?
"chunk" is spelled C-H-U-N-K. The IPA pronunciation is /t͡ʃʌŋk/.
What does "chunk" mean?
As a noun, "chunk" means: A part of something that has been separated; a generally squat, thick, irregular piece of something, e.g. wood or stone.
What words are commonly confused with "chunk"?
"chunk" is commonly confused with "cunt", "cuck", "cuny". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "chunk"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "chunk" is /t͡ʃʌŋk/. 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 "chunk"?
Variant of chuck; or alternatively a diminutive of chump (“chunk; block”) + *-k (diminutive suffix) (compare hunk from hump, etc.). Also compare Dutch schonk. 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 “chunk”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is C-H-U-N-K - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /t͡ʃʌŋk/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “cunt” - see the side-by-side comparison. chunk vs cunt
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
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