flip

/flɪp/

//flɪp// noun

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

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

The verdict

“flip” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #5,129 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#5,129
frequency rank, English
4
letters
6
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A maneuver which rotates an object end over end.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

flip vs FP
0% similar
flip vs fly
50% similar
flip vs flu
50% similar

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

Key facts for flip
PropertyValue
Headwordflip
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/flɪp/
Letters4
Frequency rank#5,129
Misspellings tracked6
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “flip” 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). flip 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 flip is 4 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /flɪp/. Corpus data places it at rank #5,129 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 9 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 flip, with forms such as "fflip", "filp", and "flipp". 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, "FP", "fly", "flu", and more, since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: Alteration of earlier fillip, from Middle English filippen (“to make a signal or sound with thumb and right forefinger, snap the fingers”), an attenuated variation of flappen (“to flap, clap, slap, strike”). Cognate with Dutch flappen (“to flap”), German fl… The correct English form is flip, spelled F-L-I-P.

Definition

  1. 1
    A maneuver which rotates an object end over end.
  2. 2
    A complete change of direction, decision, movement etc.
  3. 3
    A fillip or light blow.
  4. 4
    A whit or jot; the tiniest amount.
  5. 5
    A short flight.
  6. 6
    A slingshot.
  7. 7
    A hairstyle popular among boys in the 1960s–70s and 2000s–10s, in which the hair goes halfway down the ears, at which point it sticks out
  8. 8
    The purchase of an asset (usually a house) which is then improved and sold quickly for profit.
  9. 9
    The tendency of a gun's barrel to jerk about at the moment of firing.

Etymology

Alteration of earlier fillip, from Middle English filippen (“to make a signal or sound with thumb and right forefinger, snap the fingers”), an attenuated variation of flappen (“to flap, clap, slap, strike”). Cognate with Dutch flappen (“to flap”), German flappen (“to flap”).

This word in other languages

volteo(Español)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: fflip,filp,flipp,fllip,flpi,lfip

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

fflip1filp2flipp1fllip1flpi2lfip2
Edit distance from "flip"

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 "flip"?
"flip" is spelled F-L-I-P. The IPA pronunciation is /flɪp/.
What does "flip" mean?
As a noun, "flip" means: A maneuver which rotates an object end over end.
What words are commonly confused with "flip"?
"flip" is commonly confused with "FP", "fly", "flu". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "flip"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "flip" is /flɪp/. 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 "flip"?
Alteration of earlier fillip, from Middle English filippen (“to make a signal or sound with thumb and right forefinger, snap the fingers”), an attenuated variation of flappen (“to flap, clap, slap, strike”). Cognate with Dutch flappen (“to flap”),... 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 “flip”

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

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