funk
/fʌŋk/noun, verb
funk is spelled F-U-N-K: 4 letters and one syllable. It appears 5.1 times per million words in written English, the 11,015th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a noun, funk means “Foul or unpleasant smell, especially body odor” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). The plural of funk is funks.
How many letters and syllables are in funk?
| Letters | 4: F-U-N-K |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 1 |
| In writing | 5.1 times per million words; the 11,015th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
| Rhymes with |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media); rhymes and same-letter words are computed by PlainSpell from its own word list.
How common is funk?
Funk appears 5.1 times per million words in written English, the 11,015th most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce funk?
- US /fʌŋk/
- Australia /fɐŋk/
- Australia /faŋk/
Funk has one syllable.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: LL-Q1860_(eng)-Vealhurl-funk.wav, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
What rhymes with funk?
8 words on PlainSpell end in the same sounds as funk from its last stressed vowel (/ʌŋk/):
Computed by PlainSpell from the pronunciations in the English Wiktionary (dump of September 2, 2026): a rhyme shares every sound from the last stressed vowel to the end; ordered by written frequency (wordfreq 3.1).
Forms of funk
- funks plural, present, singular, he/she/it
- funking participle, present
- funked participle, past
- vaunk
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does funk mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
noun
- 1
Foul or unpleasant smell, especially body odor.
- 2
A style of music derived from 1960s soul music, with elements of rock and other styles, characterized by a prominent bass guitar, dance-friendly sound, a strong emphasis on the downbeat, and much syncopation.
- 3
Mental depression.
I've been in a funk lately, I fell into a funk, I slipped into a funk, I was stuck in a funk
- 4
A state of fear or panic, especially cowardly.
- 5
One who fears or panics; a coward.
- 6
obsoleteTouchwood, punk, tinder.
verb
- 1
To emit an offensive smell; to stink.
- 2
To envelop with an offensive smell or smoke.
- 3
To perform funk music.
- 4
slangFuck (the taboo swear word).
Funk this!
- 5
To shrink from, or avoid something because of fear.
- 6
To frighten; to cause to flinch.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Funk in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | puanteur , funk |
| German | Mief, Geruch, Gestank, Muff , Funk , bedrückte Stimmung |
| Portuguese | fedor , funk |
| Spanish | hedor , funk , apestar, ahúmar , yesca, yescas |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does funk come from?
1620, from French dialectal (Norman) funquer, funquier (“to smoke, reek”), from Old Northern French fungier (“to smoke”), from Vulgar Latin fūmicāre, alteration of Latin fūmigāre (“to smoke, fumigate”). Related to French dialect funkière (“smoke”). More at fumigate.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).