fang

/ˈfæ̝ŋ/

//ˈfæ̝ŋ// noun

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

"fang" is a 4-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“fang” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #18,559 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#18,559
frequency rank, English
4
letters
6
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A long, pointed canine tooth used for biting and tearing flesh.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

fang vs FN
0% similar
fang vs far
50% similar
fang vs fun
50% similar

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

Key facts for fang
PropertyValue
Headwordfang
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈfæ̝ŋ/
Letters4
Frequency rank#18,559
Misspellings tracked6
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “fang” 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). fang 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 fang is 4 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈfæ̝ŋ/. Corpus data places it at rank #18,559 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 6 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 6 likely wrong-spelling variants for fang, with forms such as "afng", "fagn", and "fangg". 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, "FN", "far", "fun", 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 clipping of fangtooth, from Middle English *fangtooth, *fengtooth, from Old English fengtōþ (“molar tooth”), from feng, preterite of fōn (“to catch, take, seize”). Cognate with German Fangzahn (“fang”, literally “catch-tooth”) and Dutch vangtand. See a… The correct English form is fang, spelled F-A-N-G.

Definition

  1. 1
    A long, pointed canine tooth used for biting and tearing flesh.
  2. 2
    Synonym of mandible, the long mouthpart of insects and other invertebrates.
  3. 3
    A long, pointed tooth in snakes, used for injecting venom.
  4. 4
    A pointed extension of the chelicera in spiders, used for injecting venom.
  5. 5
    Synonym of tooth, particularly in humans.
  6. 6
    Either of the two factors that make a number a vampire number.

Etymology

From clipping of fangtooth, from Middle English *fangtooth, *fengtooth, from Old English fengtōþ (“molar tooth”), from feng, preterite of fōn (“to catch, take, seize”). Cognate with German Fangzahn (“fang”, literally “catch-tooth”) and Dutch vangtand. See also related senses of Etymology 3 below.

This word in other languages

colmillo(Español)croc(Français)Fangzahn(Deutsch)presa(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: afng,fagn,fangg,fanng,ffang,fnag

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of fang - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

afng2fagn2fangg1fanng1ffang1fnag2
Edit distance from "fang"

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 "fang"?
"fang" is spelled F-A-N-G. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈfæ̝ŋ/.
What does "fang" mean?
As a noun, "fang" means: A long, pointed canine tooth used for biting and tearing flesh.
What words are commonly confused with "fang"?
"fang" is commonly confused with "FN", "far", "fun". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "fang"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "fang" is /ˈfæ̝ŋ/. 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 "fang"?
From clipping of fangtooth, from Middle English *fangtooth, *fengtooth, from Old English fengtōþ (“molar tooth”), from feng, preterite of fōn (“to catch, take, seize”). Cognate with German Fangzahn (“fang”, literally “catch-tooth”) and Dutch vangt... 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 “fang”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is F-A-N-G - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈfæ̝ŋ/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “FN” - see the side-by-side comparison. fang vs FN
  • 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