hodgepodge

/ˈhɒd͡ʒˌpɒd͡ʒ/

//ˈhɒd͡ʒˌpɒd͡ʒ// noun

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

"hodgepodge" is a 10-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“hodgepodge” is uncommon English (frequency #60,859 among 2,646 “H” headwords), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#60,859
frequency rank, English
2,646
“H” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - A collection containing a variety of miscellaneous things.

Corpus desk

Index EN-hodgepodge · hodgepodge · English

hodgepodge · rank #60,859 · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-RARE #60,859
  • LEN-MEGA 10 letters
  • VOW-4 4 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-MID 2,646
  • PHOTO-FINISH hisses

Nearest frequency peer: hisses (-1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Long-tail ranks near “hodgepodge”

Sparse band: bars invert rank so rarer forms read shorter

corpus weight

What this shows Long-tail view: where “hodgepodge” sits against similarly uncommon English ranks.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for hodgepodge
PropertyValue
Headwordhodgepodge
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈhɒd͡ʒˌpɒd͡ʒ/
Letters10
Frequency rank#60,859
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “hodgepodge” in English

Word frequency stretches from the small set of words we reach for constantly (left) out to the long tail barely used once in a while (right).hodgepodgefalls in this rarity band:

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

Ticks step logarithmically, so each one marks a roughly tenfold drop in how often the word turns up. Rare peers in the same band: “hisses” (#60,858), “hogwash” (#60,861), “Higham” (#60,856). Among 2,646 “H” headwords, “hodgepodge” is #60,859. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

hodgepodge is uncommon English at frequency #60,859 among 2,646 “H” headwords, classed as anoun, transcribed /ˈhɒd͡ʒˌpɒd͡ʒ/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 2 senses are on record.

No generated misspelling entries exist for hodgepodge in our index, since its letter pattern doesn't lend itself to common typo substitutions. We don't track a confusable pairing for this entry, which typically means the spelling is too distinctive to be mistaken for another word.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English hochepoche, a variation of hochepot, from Old French hochepot, from Middle Dutch hutspot (“beef or mutton cut into small pieces and mixed and boiled together in a pot”), from hotsen, hutsen (“to shake; jog; jolt”) + pot (“pot”), equivale… The correct English form is hodgepodge, spelled H-O-D-G-E-P-O-D-G-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    A collection containing a variety of miscellaneous things.
  2. 2
    A confused mass of ingredients shaken or mixed together in the same pot.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how hodgepodge appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. His latest sculpture is a hodgepodge of kitchen clutter and scrap glued together.
  2. MAn's life is but vain, for tis ſubject to pain, / and ſorrow, and ſhort as a buble; / 'tis a hodge podge of buſineſs, and mony and care, / and care, and mony, and trouble.

Etymology

From Middle English hochepoche, a variation of hochepot, from Old French hochepot, from Middle Dutch hutspot (“beef or mutton cut into small pieces and mixed and boiled together in a pot”), from hotsen, hutsen (“to shake; jog; jolt”) + pot (“pot”), equivalent to hotch + pot. Compare German Low German Hüttspott (“hodgepodge”).

Synonyms

bouillabaissebric-a-braccatch-allclamjamfreycocktailrummagegallerycongeriescrazyquiltdisjecta membrafarragogalimatiasgallimaufrygrab baghodgepodgehorse and rabbit stewhotchpotchhotchpotjob lotjumblemacedoinemedleymelangemingle-manglemiscellaneamiscellanymishmashmixed bagmixturemotleyodds and endsoddmentsolioolla podridaomnium-gatherumpastichepatchwork quiltpotpourriragbagsalmagundislurrysmorgasbordwelterWhitman's sampler

This word in other languages

mezcolanza(Español)salmigondis(Français)Sammelsurium(Deutsch)miscelânea(Português)

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 "hodgepodge"?
"hodgepodge" is spelled H-O-D-G-E-P-O-D-G-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈhɒd͡ʒˌpɒd͡ʒ/.
What does "hodgepodge" mean?
As a noun, "hodgepodge" means: A collection containing a variety of miscellaneous things.
How do you pronounce "hodgepodge"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "hodgepodge" is /ˈhɒd͡ʒˌpɒd͡ʒ/. 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 "hodgepodge"?
From Middle English hochepoche, a variation of hochepot, from Old French hochepot, from Middle Dutch hutspot (“beef or mutton cut into small pieces and mixed and boiled together in a pot”), from hotsen, hutsen (“to shake; jog; jolt”) + pot (“pot”)... 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.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "hodgepodge", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 10 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

hornblower#60,866grindstone#60,838forefinger#60,814flagrantly#60,810

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list