flipper

/ˈflɪpə/

//ˈflɪpə// noun

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

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

The verdict

“flipper” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #36,985 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#36,985
frequency rank, English
7
letters
9
tracked misspellings
3
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - In marine mammals such as whales (or other aquatic animals such as sea turtles), a wide, flat limb adapted for swimming.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

flipper vs flier
71% similar
flipper vs flipped
86% similar
flipper vs flicker
71% similar

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

Key facts for flipper
PropertyValue
Headwordflipper
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈflɪpə/
Letters7
Frequency rank#36,985
Misspellings tracked9
Confusable pairs3
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “flipper” 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). flipper 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 flipper is 7 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈflɪpə/. Corpus data places it at rank #36,985 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 11 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 9 likely wrong-spelling variants for flipper, with forms such as "fflipper", "filpper", and "flipepr". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. It also participates in 3 confusable-pair relationships, "flier", "flipped", "flicker", since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: From flip + -er. Compare Saterland Frisian Flappert (“flipper, wing”). The correct English form is flipper, spelled F-L-I-P-P-E-R.

Definition

  1. 1
    In marine mammals such as whales (or other aquatic animals such as sea turtles), a wide, flat limb adapted for swimming.
  2. 2
    A wide, flat, paddle-like rubber covering for the foot, used in swimming.
  3. 3
    A flat lever in a pinball machine, triggered by the player to strike the ball and keep it in play.
  4. 4
    A small flat used to support a larger one.
  5. 5
    A type of ball bowled by a leg spin bowler, which spins backwards and skids off the pitch with a low bounce.
  6. 6
    Television remote control, clicker.
  7. 7
    The hand.
  8. 8
    A kind of false tooth, usually temporary.
  9. 9
    A kitchen spatula.
  10. 10
    Someone who flips, in the sense of buying a house or other asset and selling it quickly for profit.
  11. 11
    Someone who flips in any other sense, for example throwing a coin.

Etymology

From flip + -er. Compare Saterland Frisian Flappert (“flipper, wing”).

This word in other languages

aleta(Español)aileron(Français)Flosse(Deutsch)barbatana(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: fflipper,filpper,flipepr,fliper,flipperr,flippre,fllipper,flpiper,lfipper

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

fflipper1filpper2flipepr2fliper1flipperr1flippre2fllipper1flpiper2
Edit distance from "flipper"

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 "flipper"?
"flipper" is spelled F-L-I-P-P-E-R. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈflɪpə/.
What does "flipper" mean?
As a noun, "flipper" means: In marine mammals such as whales (or other aquatic animals such as sea turtles), a wide, flat limb adapted for swimming.
What words are commonly confused with "flipper"?
"flipper" is commonly confused with "flier", "flipped", "flicker". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "flipper"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "flipper" is /ˈflɪpə/. 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 "flipper"?
From flip + -er. Compare Saterland Frisian Flappert (“flipper, wing”). 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 “flipper”

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

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