hedgehog

/ˈhɛd͡ʒ.hɒɡ/

//ˈhɛd͡ʒ.hɒɡ// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"hedgehog" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“hedgehog” has 12 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #20,950. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#20,950
frequency rank, English
23,837
“H” headwords
12
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A small mammal of the subfamily Erinaceinae, characterized by their spiny back and often by the habit of rolling up into a ball when attacked, native to Afro-Eurasia.

Key facts for hedgehog
PropertyValue
Headwordhedgehog
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈhɛd͡ʒ.hɒɡ/
Letters8
Frequency rank#20,950
Misspellings tracked12
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “hedgehog” 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). hedgehog 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 12 spelling variants around hedgehog (IPA /ˈhɛd͡ʒ.hɒɡ/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #20,950 among 23,837 “H” headwords. Wiktionary lists 13 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 12 likely wrong-spelling variants for hedgehog, with forms such as "ehdgehog", "hdegehog", and "heddgehog". 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. No confusable counterpart is on file for this word, since nothing in our dataset looks or sounds close enough to cause mix-ups.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English heyghoge; equivalent to hedge + hog. Eclipsed non-native Middle English yrchoun, irchoun (“hedgehog”), from Old French hirchoun, herichon (“hedgehog”); and displaced earlier Middle English il, from Old English īl, iġil (“hedgehog”). In t… The correct English form is hedgehog, spelled H-E-D-G-E-H-O-G.

Definition

  1. 1
    A small mammal of the subfamily Erinaceinae, characterized by their spiny back and often by the habit of rolling up into a ball when attacked, native to Afro-Eurasia.
  2. 2
    Any of several spiny mammals, such as the porcupine, that are similar to the hedgehog.
  3. 3
    Ellipsis of Czech hedgehog (“an antitank obstacle constructed from three steel rails”).
  4. 4
    A spigot mortar-type of depth charge weapon from World War II that simultaneously fires a number of explosives into the water to create a pattern of underwater explosions intended to attack submerged submarines.
  5. 5
    A type of chocolate cake (or slice), somewhat similar to an American brownie.
  6. 6
    A form of dredging machine.
  7. 7
    Certain flowering plants with parts resembling a member of family Erinaceidae
  8. 8
    Certain flowering plants with parts resembling a member of family Erinaceidae
  9. 9
    The edible fungus Hydnum repandum.
  10. 10
    A kind of electrical transformer with open magnetic circuit, the ends of the iron wire core being turned outward and presenting a bristling appearance.
  11. 11
    A way of serving food at a party, consisting of a half melon or potato etc. with individual cocktail sticks of cheese and pineapple stuck into it.
  12. 12
    A type of plane curve; see Hedgehog (geometry).
  13. 13
    Someone who has one big overarching personal philosophy or worldview.

Etymology

From Middle English heyghoge; equivalent to hedge + hog. Eclipsed non-native Middle English yrchoun, irchoun (“hedgehog”), from Old French hirchoun, herichon (“hedgehog”); and displaced earlier Middle English il, from Old English īl, iġil (“hedgehog”). In the philosophical sense, from the 1953 essay The Hedgehog and the Fox by Isaiah Berlin. Compare typologically Korean 고슴도치 (goseumdochi) (<<+ Middle Korean 돝 (twoth, “pig, swine”)).

Synonyms

urchinfurze-pigfuzz-pighedgepighedgy-boarprickly-pigErinaceus europaeusCalvary cloverCalvary medickhedgehog medick

This word in other languages

erizo(Español)hérisson(Français)Igel(Deutsch)ouriço(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: ehdgehog,hdegehog,heddgehog,hedeghog,hedgehgo,hedgehhog,hedgehogg,hedgeohg,hedggehog,hedgheog,hegdehog,hhedgehog

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

ehdgehog2hdegehog2heddgehog1hedeghog2hedgehgo2hedgehhog1hedgehogg1hedgeohg2
Edit distance from "hedgehog"

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 "hedgehog"?
"hedgehog" is spelled H-E-D-G-E-H-O-G. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈhɛd͡ʒ.hɒɡ/.
What does "hedgehog" mean?
As a noun, "hedgehog" means: A small mammal of the subfamily Erinaceinae, characterized by their spiny back and often by the habit of rolling up into a ball when attacked, native to Afro-Eurasia.
What are common misspellings of "hedgehog"?
Common misspellings include "ehdgehog", "hdegehog", "heddgehog", "hedeghog", "hedgehgo". The correct spelling is "hedgehog".
How do you pronounce "hedgehog"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "hedgehog" is /ˈhɛd͡ʒ.hɒɡ/. 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 "hedgehog"?
From Middle English heyghoge; equivalent to hedge + hog. Eclipsed non-native Middle English yrchoun, irchoun (“hedgehog”), from Old French hirchoun, herichon (“hedgehog”); and displaced earlier Middle English il, from Old English īl, iġil (“hedgeh... 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 “hedgehog”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is H-E-D-G-E-H-O-G - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈhɛd͡ʒ.hɒɡ/ (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

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 FrequencyWords open word-frequency list