clumpy

/ˈklʌmpi/

//ˈklʌmpi// adj

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

"clumpy" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“clumpy” is uncommon English (frequency #96,868 among 5,599 “C” headwords), classed as an adjective. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#96,868
frequency rank, English
5,599
“C” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - Forming or tending to form clumps.

Corpus desk

Index EN-clumpy · clumpy · English

clumpy · rank #96,868 · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-RARE #96,868
  • LEN-LONG 6 letters
  • VOW-2 2 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-DENSE 5,599
  • PHOTO-FINISH clopidogrel

Nearest frequency peer: clopidogrel (-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 “clumpy”

Sparse band: bars invert rank so rarer forms read shorter

corpus weight

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

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for clumpy
PropertyValue
Headwordclumpy
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ˈklʌmpi/
Letters6
Frequency rank#96,868
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “clumpy” in English

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right).clumpyfalls 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: “clopidogrel” (#96,867), “cofounded” (#96,870), “claymation” (#96,865). Among 5,599 “C” headwords, “clumpy” is #96,868. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

clumpy is uncommon English at frequency #96,868 among 5,599 “C” headwords, classed as anadjective, transcribed /ˈklʌmpi/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 3 senses are on record.

clumpy doesn't appear in our generated misspelling index, since its letter pattern doesn't lend itself to common typo substitutions. Our dataset records no confusable match here, since its spelling is unusual enough that it doesn't cluster with a lookalike.

Etymologically, the entry records: From clump + -y. The correct English form is clumpy, spelled C-L-U-M-P-Y.

Definition

  1. 1
    Forming or tending to form clumps.
  2. 2
    Resembling a clump.
  3. 3
    Clompy; with heavy footfalls.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. Then, I was sent to a great, cold, bare, school of big boys; where everything to eat and wear was thick and clumpy, without being enough […]
  2. Certainly it's lots easier to be Mary in a brown serge and clumpy boots than it is in the soft, fluffy things Marie used to wear.

Etymology

From clump + -y.

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 "clumpy"?
"clumpy" is spelled C-L-U-M-P-Y. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈklʌmpi/.
What does "clumpy" mean?
As an adjective, "clumpy" means: Forming or tending to form clumps.
How do you pronounce "clumpy"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "clumpy" is /ˈklʌmpi/. 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 "clumpy"?
From clump + -y. 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 "clumpy", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 6 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

Colima#96,873cootie#96,886Cephas#96,846centum#96,845

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list