corny

/ˈkɔːni/

//ˈkɔːni// adj

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

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

The verdict

“corny” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #21,478 in English word frequency and used as an adjective.

#21,478
frequency rank, English
5
letters
7
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Boring and unoriginal.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

corny vs cry
60% similar
corny vs coy
60% similar
corny vs cozy
60% similar

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

Key facts for corny
PropertyValue
Headwordcorny
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ˈkɔːni/
Letters5
Frequency rank#21,478
Misspellings tracked7
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “corny” 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). corny 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 corny is 5 letters long, classified as an adjective, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈkɔːni/. Corpus data places it at rank #21,478 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 7 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 7 likely wrong-spelling variants for corny, with forms such as "ccorny", "conry", and "cornny". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "cry", "coy", "cozy", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English corny, equivalent to corn (“a type of cereal or grain”) + -y. Piecewise doublet of grainy. In the "hackneyed" sense, from "corn catalogue jokes", reputedly low-quality jokes that were formerly printed in mail-order seed catalogues. The correct English form is corny, spelled C-O-R-N-Y.

Definition

  1. 1
    Boring and unoriginal.
  2. 2
    Hackneyed or excessively sentimental.
  3. 3
    Uncool, stupid, lame.
  4. 4
    Containing corn.
  5. 5
    Producing corn or grain; furnished with grains of corn.
  6. 6
    Tipsy; drunk.
  7. 7
    Horny (sexually aroused; experiencing sexual desire).

Etymology

From Middle English corny, equivalent to corn (“a type of cereal or grain”) + -y. Piecewise doublet of grainy. In the "hackneyed" sense, from "corn catalogue jokes", reputedly low-quality jokes that were formerly printed in mail-order seed catalogues.

This word in other languages

insipido(Español)banal(Français)abgedroschen(Deutsch)piegas(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: ccorny,conry,cornny,cornyy,corrny,coryn,ocrny

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

ccorny1conry2cornny1cornyy1corrny1coryn2ocrny2
Edit distance from "corny"

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 "corny"?
"corny" is spelled C-O-R-N-Y. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈkɔːni/.
What does "corny" mean?
As an adjective, "corny" means: Boring and unoriginal.
What words are commonly confused with "corny"?
"corny" is commonly confused with "cry", "coy", "cozy". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "corny"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "corny" is /ˈkɔːni/. 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 "corny"?
From Middle English corny, equivalent to corn (“a type of cereal or grain”) + -y. Piecewise doublet of grainy. In the "hackneyed" sense, from "corn catalogue jokes", reputedly low-quality jokes that were formerly printed in mail-order seed catalog... 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 “corny”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is C-O-R-N-Y - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈkɔːni/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “cry” - see the side-by-side comparison. corny vs cry
  • 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