handicap
/ˈhændikæp/noun, verb
handicap is spelled H-A-N-D-I-C-A-P: 8 letters and 3 syllables. It appears 4.1 times per million words in written English, the 12,764th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a noun, handicap means “Something that prevents, hampers, or hinders” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). The plural of handicap is handicaps.
How many letters and syllables are in handicap?
| Letters | 8: H-A-N-D-I-C-A-P |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 3 (from its American pronunciation) |
| In writing | 4.1 times per million words; the 12,764th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation and the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How common is handicap?
Handicap appears 4.1 times per million words in written English, the 12,764th 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 handicap?
- /ˈhændikæp/
Handicap has 3 syllables (counted from its American pronunciation in the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: LL-Q1860_(eng)-Vealhurl-handicap.wav, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
Forms of handicap
- handicaps plural, present, singular, he/she/it
- handicapping participle, present
- handicapped participle, past
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does handicap mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
noun
- 1
Something that prevents, hampers, or hinders.
Age is often a handicap.
- 2
An allowance of a certain amount of time or distance in starting, granted in a race (or other contest of skill) to the competitor possessing disadvantages; or an additional weight or other hindrance imposed upon the one possessing advantages, in order to equalize, as much as possible, the chances of success.
The older boy won, even though his opponent had been granted a handicap of five meters.
- 3
An individual's physical or mental disadvantage or disability.
- 4
A race or similar contest in which there is an allowance of time, distance, weight, or other advantage, to equalize the chances of the competitors.
- 5
obsoleteAn old card game, similar to lanterloo.
- 6
obsoleteSynonym of hand-in-cap (“old English trading game”).
verb
- 1
To encumber with a handicap in any contest.
- 2
To place at disadvantage.
The candidate was handicapped by her lack of experience.
- 3
To estimate betting odds.
Grandpa Andy would buy the racing form the day ahead of time so he could handicap the race before he even arrived at the track.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
How do you abbreviate handicap?
Wiktionary records 2 abbreviations of handicap: H, hcap.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Handicap in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| Portuguese | obstáculo , vantagem , deficiência |
| Spanish | obstáculo, hándicap , ventaja, ventaje , minusvalía |
| German | Vorsprung , Behinderung |
| French | handicap |
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 handicap come from?
From hand-in-cap, in reference to holding the game stakes in a cap.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).