hanky-panky
/ˌhæŋkɪˈpæŋki/
"hanky-panky" is a 10-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“hanky-panky” is uncommon English (outside the top frequency list), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.
- Unranked
- below top-frequency English
- 11
- letters
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Mischievous behaviour, dishonest or shady activity.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | hanky-panky |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Noun |
| IPA | /ˌhæŋkɪˈpæŋki/ |
| Letters | 11 |
| Misspellings tracked | 0 |
| Confusable pairs | 0 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Where “hanky-panky” sits in English frequency
Rare enough to double-check
hanky-panky is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as anoun, transcribed /ˌhæŋkɪˈpæŋki/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 3 senses are on record.
Zero misspellings are on record for hanky-panky in our index, a straightforward case of a spelling with little room for common typos. Our confusable-pair dataset has no match for it, since its spelling is unusual enough that it doesn't cluster with a lookalike.
Etymologically, the entry records: Possibly a corruption of the Romani expression hakk'ni panki ("great trick", "big con" and hence "shady dealings"). The correct English form is hanky-panky, spelled H-A-N-K-Y---P-A-N-K-Y.
Definition
- 1Mischievous behaviour, dishonest or shady activity.
- 2Amorous behaviour, smooching, making out, necking, sex or other sexual activity, especially if illicit.
- 3A debaucherous act; a sexual act that is considered inappropriate.
Etymology
Possibly a corruption of the Romani expression hakk'ni panki ("great trick", "big con" and hence "shady dealings").
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
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Using “hanky-panky”
The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.
- The one correct English spelling is H-A-N-K-Y---P-A-N-K-Y - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
- Say it as /ˌhæŋkɪˈpæŋki/ (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.