hickey

/ˈhɪk.i/

//ˈhɪk.i// noun

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

"hickey" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“hickey” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #25,088 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#25,088
frequency rank, English
6
letters
9
tracked misspellings
14
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A bruise-like mark made during petting by pressing the mouth to the skin on one’s partner’s body and sucking.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

hickey vs hike
67% similar
hickey vs Hicks
50% similar
hickey vs hikes
67% similar

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

Key facts for hickey
PropertyValue
Headwordhickey
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈhɪk.i/
Letters6
Frequency rank#25,088
Misspellings tracked9
Confusable pairs14
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “hickey” 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). hickey lands here:

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

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

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for hickey is 6 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈhɪk.i/. Corpus data places it at rank #25,088 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 8 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 9 likely wrong-spelling variants for hickey, with forms such as "hcikey", "hhickey", and "hicckey". 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 14 confusable-pair relationships, "hike", "Hicks", "hikes", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: Unknown. The correct English form is hickey, spelled H-I-C-K-E-Y.

Definition

  1. 1
    A bruise-like mark made during petting by pressing the mouth to the skin on one’s partner’s body and sucking.
  2. 2
    A similar mark made by the pressure of a musical instrument such as a violin or viola against the neck.
  3. 3
    An object whose name is unknown or cannot be recalled.
  4. 4
    A printing defect caused by foreign matter on the printing surface resulting in a ring where the ink is missing, appearing as a spot of ink surrounded by a halo, or as an unprinted spot within a solid printed area.
  5. 5
    A serif or other ornamentation on type.
  6. 6
    Local swelling in a tissue area, especially skin, often due to injury.
  7. 7
    A tool for making smooth, semicircular bends in conduit and pipe.
  8. 8
    An unintended negative outcome or loss in regards to a deal or action.

Etymology

Unknown.

This word in other languages

chupetón(Español)suçon(Français)Knutschfleck(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: hcikey,hhickey,hicckey,hiceky,hickeyy,hickkey,hickye,hikcey,ihckey

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

hcikey2hhickey1hicckey1hiceky2hickeyy1hickkey1hickye2hikcey2
Edit distance from "hickey"

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 "hickey"?
"hickey" is spelled H-I-C-K-E-Y. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈhɪk.i/.
What does "hickey" mean?
As a noun, "hickey" means: A bruise-like mark made during petting by pressing the mouth to the skin on one’s partner’s body and sucking.
What words are commonly confused with "hickey"?
"hickey" is commonly confused with "hike", "Hicks", "hikes". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "hickey"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "hickey" is /ˈhɪk.i/. 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 "hickey"?
Unknown. 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 “hickey”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is H-I-C-K-E-Y - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈhɪk.i/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “hike” - see the side-by-side comparison. hickey vs hike
  • 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