decoy

/ˈdiːkɔɪ/

//ˈdiːkɔɪ// noun

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

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

The verdict

“decoy” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #27,424 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#27,424
frequency rank, English
5
letters
7
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A person or object meant to lure somebody into danger.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

decoy vs dey
60% similar
decoy vs deo
60% similar
decoy vs deny
60% similar

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

Key facts for decoy
PropertyValue
Headworddecoy
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈdiːkɔɪ/
Letters5
Frequency rank#27,424
Misspellings tracked7
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “decoy” 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). decoy 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 decoy is 5 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈdiːkɔɪ/. Corpus data places it at rank #27,424 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 4 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 decoy, with forms such as "dceoy", "ddecoy", and "deccoy". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "dey", "deo", "deny", 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 Dutch de + kooi, literally "the cage". Possibly related to verb coy (which itself may have been influenced by decoy). The correct English form is decoy, spelled D-E-C-O-Y.

Definition

  1. 1
    A person or object meant to lure somebody into danger.
  2. 2
    A real or fake animal used by hunters to lure game.
  3. 3
    Deceptive military device used to draw enemy attention or fire away from a more important target.
  4. 4
    An assembly of hooped or netted corridors into which wild ducks may be enticed (originally by tame ducks) and trapped.

Etymology

From Dutch de + kooi, literally "the cage". Possibly related to verb coy (which itself may have been influenced by decoy).

Synonyms

body doubledecoyred herring

This word in other languages

señuelo(Español)leurre(Français)Lockvogel(Deutsch)chamariz(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: dceoy,ddecoy,deccoy,decoyy,decyo,deocy,edcoy

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of decoy - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

dceoy2ddecoy1deccoy1decoyy1decyo2deocy2edcoy2
Edit distance from "decoy"

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 "decoy"?
"decoy" is spelled D-E-C-O-Y. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈdiːkɔɪ/.
What does "decoy" mean?
As a noun, "decoy" means: A person or object meant to lure somebody into danger.
What words are commonly confused with "decoy"?
"decoy" is commonly confused with "dey", "deo", "deny". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "decoy"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "decoy" is /ˈdiːkɔɪ/. 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 "decoy"?
From Dutch de + kooi, literally "the cage". Possibly related to verb coy (which itself may have been influenced by decoy). 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 “decoy”

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

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