high jinks
/ˈhaɪ d͡ʒɪŋks/
"high-jinks" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“high jinks” 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
- 10
- letters
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - An old Scottish parlour game in which people were chosen, usually by throwing dice, to perform some humorous act or drink a large amount of an alcoholic beverage, with a forfeit if they were unable...
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | high jinks |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Noun |
| IPA | /ˈhaɪ d͡ʒɪŋks/ |
| Letters | 10 |
| Misspellings tracked | 0 |
| Confusable pairs | 0 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Where “high jinks” sits in English frequency
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
The English entry for high jinks is 10 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈhaɪ d͡ʒɪŋks/. It sits outside the most-frequent rank tiers, which is often why uncommon words generate more spelling variants per reader. Wiktionary records 3 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.
high jinks has no tracked misspelling variants, since its letter pattern doesn't lend itself to common typo substitutions. This entry stands alone in our confusable dataset, which tends to mean the word is visually distinctive enough to stand on its own.
Etymologically, the entry records: Probably related to jink (“(verb) to make a quick evasive turn; to whirl about when dancing, to dance; (noun) a quick evasive turn”), probably originally onomatopoeic, expressing quick movement. The correct English form is high jinks, spelled H-I-G-H- -J-I-N-K-S.
Definition
- 1An old Scottish parlour game in which people were chosen, usually by throwing dice, to perform some humorous act or drink a large amount of an alcoholic beverage, with a forfeit if they were unable to do so.
- 2Boisterous activity or behaviour; lively fun.
- 3Tricky or waggish behaviour; mischief.
Etymology
Probably related to jink (“(verb) to make a quick evasive turn; to whirl about when dancing, to dance; (noun) a quick evasive turn”), probably originally onomatopoeic, expressing quick movement.
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 "high jinks"?
What does "high jinks" mean?
How do you pronounce "high jinks"?
What is the origin of the word "high jinks"?
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Using “high jinks”
The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.
- The one correct English spelling is H-I-G-H- -J-I-N-K-S - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
- Say it as /ˈhaɪ d͡ʒɪŋks/ (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.