fink

/fɪŋk/

//fɪŋk// noun

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

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

The verdict

“fink” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #26,424 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#26,424
frequency rank, English
4
letters
6
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A contemptible person.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

fink vs FN
0% similar
fink vs fun
50% similar
fink vs fit
50% similar

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

Key facts for fink
PropertyValue
Headwordfink
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/fɪŋk/
Letters4
Frequency rank#26,424
Misspellings tracked6
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “fink” 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). fink 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 fink is 4 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /fɪŋk/. Corpus data places it at rank #26,424 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 3 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 fink, with forms such as "ffink", "fikn", and "finkk". 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", "fun", "fit", and more, since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: Unknown; first attested in 1894. A connection to Yiddish as some propose is unlikely. Suggested origins include: * German Fink (“finch; frivolous or dissolute person; informer”) as finches are notoriously chatty birds in groups. If so, then Doublet of finch… The correct English form is fink, spelled F-I-N-K.

Definition

  1. 1
    A contemptible person.
  2. 2
    An informer.
  3. 3
    A strikebreaker.

Etymology

Unknown; first attested in 1894. A connection to Yiddish as some propose is unlikely. Suggested origins include: * German Fink (“finch; frivolous or dissolute person; informer”) as finches are notoriously chatty birds in groups. If so, then Doublet of finch. Compare canary (“informer”). * Partly from the German theory, a fanciful association by students with the freedom of wild birds as opposed to caged ones. * The slang name pink for Pinkerton agents and their use as strikebreakers in the 1892 Homestead strike. If the term is from the corporate name, then it is of Scots origin, Pinkerton being from a place near Dunbar, which is from an unrecognized first element (possibly ultimately pre-Celtic substrate) and Old English tūn (“enclosure, homestead, etc.”).

This word in other languages

delator(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: ffink,fikn,finkk,finnk,fnik,ifnk

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of fink - 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.

ffink1fikn2finkk1finnk1fnik2ifnk2
Edit distance from "fink"

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 "fink"?
"fink" is spelled F-I-N-K. The IPA pronunciation is /fɪŋk/.
What does "fink" mean?
As a noun, "fink" means: A contemptible person.
What words are commonly confused with "fink"?
"fink" is commonly confused with "FN", "fun", "fit". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "fink"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "fink" is /fɪŋk/. 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 "fink"?
Unknown; first attested in 1894. A connection to Yiddish as some propose is unlikely. Suggested origins include: * German Fink (“finch; frivolous or dissolute person; informer”) as finches are notoriously chatty birds in groups. If so, then Double... 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 “fink”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is F-I-N-K - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /fɪŋk/ (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. fink 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