flanker

/ˈflæŋkə/

//ˈflæŋkə// noun

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

"flanker" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“flanker” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #42,137 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#42,137
frequency rank, English
7
letters
11
tracked misspellings
13
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A player who plays in the back row of the scrum.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

flanker vs flatter
71% similar
flanker vs flannel
71% similar
flanker vs flicker
71% similar

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

Key facts for flanker
PropertyValue
Headwordflanker
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈflæŋkə/
Letters7
Frequency rank#42,137
Misspellings tracked11
Confusable pairs13
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “flanker” 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). flanker 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 flanker is 7 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈflæŋkə/. Corpus data places it at rank #42,137 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 11 likely wrong-spelling variants for flanker, with forms such as "falnker", "fflanker", and "flakner". 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 13 confusable-pair relationships, "flatter", "flannel", "flicker", 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 flank + -er. The verb is from the noun (sense 3). The correct English form is flanker, spelled F-L-A-N-K-E-R.

Definition

  1. 1
    A player who plays in the back row of the scrum.
  2. 2
    A wide receiver who lines up behind the line of scrimmage.
  3. 3
    A fortification or soldier projecting so as to defend another work or to command the flank of an assailing body.
  4. 4
    One of a pair of large upright monoliths erected on either end of the recumbent, in recumbent stone circles of Aberdeenshire, Scotland, and the counties of Cork and Kerry in south-west of Ireland.
  5. 5
    A usually lower-end brand or product introduced in order to target competitors and protect a company's main market share.
  6. 6
    Newly created perfume that shares some attributes of an already existing perfume.

Etymology

From flank + -er. The verb is from the noun (sense 3).

This word in other languages

flanqueador(Español)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: falnker,fflanker,flakner,flanekr,flankerr,flankker,flankre,flannker,fllanker,flnaker,lfanker

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of flanker - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

falnker2fflanker1flakner2flanekr2flankerr1flankker1flankre2flannker1
Edit distance from "flanker"

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 "flanker"?
"flanker" is spelled F-L-A-N-K-E-R. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈflæŋkə/.
What does "flanker" mean?
As a noun, "flanker" means: A player who plays in the back row of the scrum.
What words are commonly confused with "flanker"?
"flanker" is commonly confused with "flatter", "flannel", "flicker". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "flanker"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "flanker" is /ˈflæŋkə/. 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 "flanker"?
From flank + -er. The verb is from the noun (sense 3). 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 “flanker”

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

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