cocktail

/ˈkɒk.teɪl/

//ˈkɒk.teɪl// noun

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

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

The verdict

“cocktail” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #8,398 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#8,398
frequency rank, English
8
letters
12
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A mixed alcoholic beverage.

Key facts for cocktail
PropertyValue
Headwordcocktail
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈkɒk.teɪl/
Letters8
Frequency rank#8,398
Misspellings tracked12
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “cocktail” 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). cocktail 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 cocktail is 8 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈkɒk.teɪl/. Corpus data places it at rank #8,398 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 5 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 12 likely wrong-spelling variants for cocktail, with forms such as "ccocktail", "ccoktail", and "coccktail". 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. Our confusable-pair dataset has no match for it, which typically means the spelling is too distinctive to be mistaken for another word.

Etymologically, the entry records: Early 17th century, from cock (“male bird”) + tail, in the sense “(a horse with its) tail standing up, like a cock’s”. The origin of the extension to “an alcoholic mixed drink” is unknown. One theory is that it refers to a stimulant (gingering), hence a sti… The correct English form is cocktail, spelled C-O-C-K-T-A-I-L.

Definition

  1. 1
    A mixed alcoholic beverage.
  2. 2
    A mixture of other substances or things.
  3. 3
    A horse, not of pure breed, but having only one eighth or one sixteenth impure blood in its veins.
  4. 4
    A mean, half-hearted fellow.
  5. 5
    A species of rove beetle, so called from its habit of elevating the tail.

Etymology

Early 17th century, from cock (“male bird”) + tail, in the sense “(a horse with its) tail standing up, like a cock’s”. The origin of the extension to “an alcoholic mixed drink” is unknown. One theory is that it refers to a stimulant (gingering), hence a stimulating drink; compare pick-me-up. Another attested use is for non-thoroughbred racehorses: these were considered "cock-tailed" due to their docked tails. This may have led to the term "cocktail" (sense 1) being used for an adulterated spirit.

This word in other languages

cóctel(Español)cocktail(Français)Cocktail(Deutsch)coquetel(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: ccocktail,ccoktail,coccktail,cockatil,cockktail,cocktaill,cocktali,cocktial,cockttail,coctkail,cokctail,occktail

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of cocktail - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

ccocktail1ccoktail2coccktail1cockatil2cockktail1cocktaill1cocktali2cocktial2
Edit distance from "cocktail"

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 "cocktail"?
"cocktail" is spelled C-O-C-K-T-A-I-L. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈkɒk.teɪl/.
What does "cocktail" mean?
As a noun, "cocktail" means: A mixed alcoholic beverage.
What are common misspellings of "cocktail"?
Common misspellings include "ccocktail", "ccoktail", "coccktail", "cockatil", "cockktail". The correct spelling is "cocktail".
How do you pronounce "cocktail"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "cocktail" is /ˈkɒk.teɪl/. 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 "cocktail"?
Early 17th century, from cock (“male bird”) + tail, in the sense “(a horse with its) tail standing up, like a cock’s”. The origin of the extension to “an alcoholic mixed drink” is unknown. One theory is that it refers to a stimulant (gingering), h... 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 “cocktail”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is C-O-C-K-T-A-I-L - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈkɒk.teɪl/ (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
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