hopper

/ˈhɒp.ə(ɹ)/

//ˈhɒp.ə(ɹ)// noun

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

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

The verdict

“hopper” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #15,425 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#15,425
frequency rank, English
6
letters
7
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - One who or that which hops.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

hopper vs hover
67% similar
hopper vs hoyer
67% similar
hopper vs hoppy
67% similar

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

Key facts for hopper
PropertyValue
Headwordhopper
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈhɒp.ə(ɹ)/
Letters6
Frequency rank#15,425
Misspellings tracked7
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “hopper” 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). hopper 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 hopper is 6 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈhɒp.ə(ɹ)/. Corpus data places it at rank #15,425 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 17 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 7 likely wrong-spelling variants for hopper, with forms such as "hhopper", "hopepr", and "hoper". 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 20 confusable-pair relationships, "hover", "hoyer", "hoppy", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English hoppere, alteration of *hoppe (found in grashoppe (“grasshopper”)), from Old English *hoppa (“one who hops, hopper”), equivalent to hop + -er. Cognate with Dutch hopper (“hopper”), Swedish hoppare (“hopper, jumper”), Icelandic hoppari (“… The correct English form is hopper, spelled H-O-P-P-E-R.

Definition

  1. 1
    One who or that which hops.
  2. 2
    A temporary storage bin, filled from the top and emptied from the bottom, often funnel-shaped.
  3. 3
    A funnel-shaped section at the top of a drainpipe used to collect water, from above, from one or more smaller drainpipes.
  4. 4
    A bin or device that feeds material into a machine.
  5. 5
    Various insects
  6. 6
    Various insects
  7. 7
    Various insects
  8. 8
    Various insects
  9. 9
    Various insects
  10. 10
    An artificial fishing lure.
  11. 11
    A toilet.
  12. 12
    An escapement lever in a piano.
  13. 13
    The game of hopscotch.
  14. 14
    A window with hinges at the bottom, opened by tilting vertically.
  15. 15
    A hopper car.
  16. 16
    A fairy chess piece which moves only by jumping over another piece.
  17. 17
    A person or machine that picks hops.

Etymology

From Middle English hoppere, alteration of *hoppe (found in grashoppe (“grasshopper”)), from Old English *hoppa (“one who hops, hopper”), equivalent to hop + -er. Cognate with Dutch hopper (“hopper”), Swedish hoppare (“hopper, jumper”), Icelandic hoppari (“hopper”).

This word in other languages

tolva(Español)Trichter(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: hhopper,hopepr,hoper,hopperr,hoppre,hpoper,ohpper

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

hhopper1hopepr2hoper1hopperr1hoppre2hpoper2ohpper2
Edit distance from "hopper"

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 "hopper"?
"hopper" is spelled H-O-P-P-E-R. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈhɒp.ə(ɹ)/.
What does "hopper" mean?
As a noun, "hopper" means: One who or that which hops.
What words are commonly confused with "hopper"?
"hopper" is commonly confused with "hover", "hoyer", "hoppy". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "hopper"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "hopper" is /ˈhɒp.ə(ɹ)/. 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 "hopper"?
From Middle English hoppere, alteration of *hoppe (found in grashoppe (“grasshopper”)), from Old English *hoppa (“one who hops, hopper”), equivalent to hop + -er. Cognate with Dutch hopper (“hopper”), Swedish hoppare (“hopper, jumper”), Icelandic ... 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 “hopper”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is H-O-P-P-E-R - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈhɒp.ə(ɹ)/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “hover” - see the side-by-side comparison. hopper vs hover
  • 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