# eddy

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈɛd.i/ · frequency rank #15,603

## Definitions
1. A current of air or water running back, or in an opposite direction to the main current.
2. A circular current; a whirlpool.

## Etymology
From Middle English eddy, from Old English edēa, from ed- (“turning, back, reverse”) + ēa (“water”), equivalent to ed- + ea. Ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₁é, and, consequently, cognate with Latin et. Related also to Danish ide (“eddy”), Swedish eda (“eddy”), Norwegian ida, ia, ea (“eddy”), Icelandic iða (“eddy”).

## Easily confused with
- **ey** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/eddy-vs-ey)
- **end** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/eddy-vs-end)
- **EDT** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/eddy-vs-edt)
- **Eid** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/eddy-vs-eid)
- **EDM** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/eddy-vs-edm)
- **Edo** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/eddy-vs-edo)
- **Ely** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/eddy-vs-ely)
- **EDL** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/eddy-vs-edl)
- **ends** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/eddy-vs-ends)
- **edge** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/eddy-vs-edge)
- **edit** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/eddy-vs-edit)
- **envy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/eddy-vs-envy)
- **Eden** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/eddy-vs-eden)
- **Emmy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/eddy-vs-emmy)
- **edgy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/eddy-vs-edgy)
- **Edna** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/eddy-vs-edna)
- **Edie** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/eddy-vs-edie)
- **Edin** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/eddy-vs-edin)
- **ed** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ed-vs-eddy)
- **EDC** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/edc-vs-eddy)

## Common misspellings (4)
`dedy`, `eddyy`, `edy`, `edyd`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/eddy