fillip

/ˈfɪlɪp/

//ˈfɪlɪp// noun

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

"fillip" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“fillip” is uncommon English (frequency #95,971 among 2,507 “F” headwords), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#95,971
frequency rank, English
2,507
“F” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - The action of holding the tip of a finger against the thumb and then releasing it with a snap; a flick.

Corpus desk

Index EN-fillip · fillip · English

fillip · rank #95,971 · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-RARE #95,971
  • LEN-LONG 6 letters
  • VOW-2 2 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-MID 2,507
  • PHOTO-FINISH fifer

Nearest frequency peer: fifer (-1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Long-tail ranks near “fillip”

Sparse band: bars invert rank so rarer forms read shorter

corpus weight

What this shows Long-tail view: where “fillip” sits against similarly uncommon English ranks.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for fillip
PropertyValue
Headwordfillip
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈfɪlɪp/
Letters6
Frequency rank#95,971
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “fillip” in English

This scale runs from the tiny cluster of words that carry ordinary speech (left) to the long tail of words almost nobody reaches for (right).fillipfalls in this rarity band:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Ticks step logarithmically, so each one marks a roughly tenfold drop in how often the word turns up. Rare peers in the same band: “fifer” (#95,970), “Fincham” (#95,972), “festoon” (#95,969). Among 2,507 “F” headwords, “fillip” is #95,971. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

fillip is uncommon English at frequency #95,971 among 2,507 “F” headwords, classed as anoun, transcribed /ˈfɪlɪp/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 4 senses are on record.

We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for fillip, suggesting the orthography follows predictable English patterns. We don't track a confusable pairing for this entry, since its spelling is unusual enough that it doesn't cluster with a lookalike.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English filippen, philippe (“to flick or snap a finger from against the thumb”); further origin uncertain, but probably imitative. See flip. It is not clear whether the verb is derived from the noun, or vice versa. The correct English form is fillip, spelled F-I-L-L-I-P.

Definition

  1. 1
    The action of holding the tip of a finger against the thumb and then releasing it with a snap; a flick.
  2. 2
    A sharp strike or tap made using this action, or (by extension) by other means.
  3. 3
    Something unimportant, a trifle; also, the brief time it takes to flick one's finger (see noun sense 1); a jiffy.
  4. 4
    Something that excites or stimulates.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how fillip appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. And let him ſuppoſe, that if a Man in the beginning of the World, or four or five hundred Years ago, had laid a little round Marble upon a Table, and to put the ſame in Motion, had given it a Fillip with his Finger; the ſaid Marble, according to the abovemention'd Law of Nature, would (if no other Force had oppos'd its Motion) have moved to this very Minu…
  2. The blasphemy done to a mortal man is punished with the sword, and shall the blasphemy done to God escape think you with a fillip in the forehead, or with the knock of a little wooden betel, as it is begun to be punished in certain men's houses now of late? Nay, verily. It is no fillip matter except we will admit such a fillip as shall fillip them down in…

Etymology

From Middle English filippen, philippe (“to flick or snap a finger from against the thumb”); further origin uncertain, but probably imitative. See flip. It is not clear whether the verb is derived from the noun, or vice versa.

This word in other languages

chiquenaude(Français)Schnalzen(Deutsch)piparote(Português)

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 "fillip"?
"fillip" is spelled F-I-L-L-I-P. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈfɪlɪp/.
What does "fillip" mean?
As a noun, "fillip" means: The action of holding the tip of a finger against the thumb and then releasing it with a snap; a flick.
How do you pronounce "fillip"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "fillip" is /ˈfɪlɪp/. 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 "fillip"?
From Middle English filippen, philippe (“to flick or snap a finger from against the thumb”); further origin uncertain, but probably imitative. See flip. It is not clear whether the verb is derived from the noun, or vice versa. 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.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "fillip", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 6 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

Fenrir#95,968femina#95,966Farlow#95,960frappe#95,987

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list