cribbage

Name: cribbage, English Word Data
Creator: Wiktionary
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

/ˈkɹɪbɪd͡ʒ/

//ˈkɹɪbɪd͡ʒ// noun

By PlainSpell · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) · analyzed May 6, 2026

The verdict

“cribbage” is uncommon English (frequency #86,177 among 43,570 “C” headwords), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#86,177
frequency rank, English: 43,570
“C” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A point-counting card game for two players, with variants for three or four players; the cribbage board used for scoring to 61 or 121 points in numerous small increments is characteristic.

Key facts for cribbage
Property	Value
Headword	cribbage
Language	English
Part of speech	Noun
IPA	/ˈkɹɪbɪd͡ʒ/
Letters	8
Frequency rank	#86,177
Misspellings tracked	0
Confusable pairs	0
Source	Wiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “cribbage” 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). cribbage lands here:

#86,177

#1#100#1K#10K#100K

← used constantlyrarely used →

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

Rare enough to double-check

cribbage is uncommon English at frequency #86,177 among 43,570 “C” headwords, classed as anoun, transcribed /ˈkɹɪbɪd͡ʒ/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 3 senses are on record.

Zero misspellings are on record for cribbage in our index, a sign its spelling follows regular English conventions. This headword has no recorded confusable partner, a sign it's visually distinctive enough not to be mixed up with another word.

Etymologically, the entry records: From crib + -age. Named from the "crib" consisting of certain cards laid aside by each player. The correct English form is cribbage, spelled C-R-I-B-B-A-G-E.

Definition

1
A point-counting card game for two players, with variants for three or four players; the cribbage board used for scoring to 61 or 121 points in numerous small increments is characteristic.
2
A variety of pocket billiards that, like the card game, awards points for pairs that total 15. A player who pockets a ball of a particular number must then immediately pocket the companion ball that brings the number to 15.
3
A point scored in this variety of pocket billiards.

Etymology

From crib + -age. Named from the "crib" consisting of certain cards laid aside by each player.

Synonyms

crib

This word in other languages

crib(Français)

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 "cribbage"?

"cribbage" is spelled C-R-I-B-B-A-G-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈkɹɪbɪd͡ʒ/.

What does "cribbage" mean?

As a noun, "cribbage" means: A point-counting card game for two players, with variants for three or four players; the cribbage board used for scoring to 61 or 121 points in numerous small increments is characteristic.

How do you pronounce "cribbage"?

The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "cribbage" is /ˈkɹɪbɪd͡ʒ/. 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 "cribbage"?

From crib + -age. Named from the "crib" consisting of certain cards laid aside by each player. 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 “cribbage”

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

The one correct English spelling is C-R-I-B-B-A-G-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
Say it as /ˈkɹɪbɪd͡ʒ/ (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

Other uncommon English words near this rank

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.