hackberry

/ˈhækˌbɛ˞.ɹi/

//ˈhækˌbɛ˞.ɹi// noun

"hackberry" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“hackberry” is outside the top-ranked English vocabulary, used as a noun - the kind of word writers most often double-check.

Unranked
below top-frequency English
9
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Any of several deciduous trees of the genus Celtis, widespread over the Northern Hemisphere, having small fruit.

Key facts for hackberry
PropertyValue
Headwordhackberry
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈhækˌbɛ˞.ɹi/
Letters9
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “hackberry” sits in English frequency

hackberry falls outside the top-100,000 ranked English words, the long-tail zone of technical, archaic, or low-frequency vocabulary, exactly where readers second-guess spellings most.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for hackberry is 9 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈhækˌbɛ˞.ɹi/. It sits outside the most-frequent rank tiers, which is often why uncommon words generate more spelling variants per reader. Wiktionary records 4 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Zero misspellings are on record for hackberry in our index, typically a sign the spelling maps closely to how the word sounds. This headword has no recorded confusable partner, suggesting its spelling stands apart enough that readers rarely confuse it with something else.

Etymologically, the entry records: A variant of hagberry. The correct English form is hackberry, spelled H-A-C-K-B-E-R-R-Y.

Definition

  1. 1
    Any of several deciduous trees of the genus Celtis, widespread over the Northern Hemisphere, having small fruit.
  2. 2
    Fruit of these plants.
  3. 3
    The wood of these plants.
  4. 4
    A bird cherry, any of species Prunus padus of cherry trees, of Eurasia, or its berry.

Etymology

A variant of hagberry.

Synonyms

This word in other languages

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "hackberry"?
"hackberry" is spelled H-A-C-K-B-E-R-R-Y. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈhækˌbɛ˞.ɹi/.
What does "hackberry" mean?
As a noun, "hackberry" means: Any of several deciduous trees of the genus Celtis, widespread over the Northern Hemisphere, having small fruit.
How do you pronounce "hackberry"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "hackberry" is /ˈhækˌbɛ˞.ɹi/. 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 "hackberry"?
A variant of hagberry. 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 “hackberry”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is H-A-C-K-B-E-R-R-Y - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈhækˌbɛ˞.ɹi/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • 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