gutsy

/ˈɡʌt.si/

//ˈɡʌt.si// adj

"gutsy" is a 5-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“gutsy” has 7 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #40,272. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#40,272
frequency rank, English
18,276
“G” headwords
7
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Marked by courage, determination or boldness in the face of difficulties or danger; having guts.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

gutsy vs guy
60% similar
gutsy vs guys
60% similar
gutsy vs gypsy
60% similar

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

Key facts for gutsy
PropertyValue
Headwordgutsy
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ˈɡʌt.si/
Letters5
Frequency rank#40,272
Misspellings tracked7
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “gutsy” 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). gutsy lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 7 spelling variants around gutsy (IPA /ˈɡʌt.si/), anadjective. Corpus frequency is #40,272 among 18,276 “G” headwords. Wiktionary lists 2 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 7 likely wrong-spelling variants for gutsy, with forms such as "ggutsy", "gtusy", and "gutssy". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "guy", "guys", "gypsy", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: From guts + -y. The correct English form is gutsy, spelled G-U-T-S-Y.

Definition

  1. 1
    Marked by courage, determination or boldness in the face of difficulties or danger; having guts.
  2. 2
    From the gut; deep and often coarse.

Etymology

From guts + -y.

This word in other languages

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • ggutsy
  • gtusy
  • gutssy
  • gutsyy
  • guttsy
  • gutys
  • ugtsy

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

ggutsy1gtusy2gutssy1gutsyy1guttsy1gutys2ugtsy2
Edit distance from "gutsy"

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 "gutsy"?
"gutsy" is spelled G-U-T-S-Y. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈɡʌt.si/.
What does "gutsy" mean?
As an adjective, "gutsy" means: Marked by courage, determination or boldness in the face of difficulties or danger; having guts.
What words are commonly confused with "gutsy"?
"gutsy" is commonly confused with "guy", "guys", "gypsy". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "gutsy"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "gutsy" is /ˈɡʌt.si/. 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 "gutsy"?
From guts + -y. 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 “gutsy”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is G-U-T-S-Y - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈɡʌt.si/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “guy” - see the side-by-side comparison. gutsy vs guy
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words

Same frequency band

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