hunchback
/ˈhʌnt͡ʃbæk/
"hunchback" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“hunchback” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #42,188 in English word frequency and used as a noun.
- #42,188
- frequency rank, English
- 9
- letters
- 15
- tracked misspellings
- 1
- confusable pair
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - One who is stooped or hunched over.
Visual similarity to commonly confused words
How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).
Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | hunchback |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Noun |
| IPA | /ˈhʌnt͡ʃbæk/ |
| Letters | 9 |
| Frequency rank | #42,188 |
| Misspellings tracked | 15 |
| Confusable pairs | 1 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Where “hunchback” sits in English frequency
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
The English entry for hunchback is 9 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈhʌnt͡ʃbæk/. Corpus data places it at rank #42,188 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 3 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.
Our generated misspelling index lists 15 likely wrong-spelling variants for hunchback, with forms such as "hhunchback", "hnuchback", and "hucnhback". 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 1 confusable-pair relationship, "hatchback", where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.
Etymologically, the entry records: Back-formation from hunchbacked. The correct English form is hunchback, spelled H-U-N-C-H-B-A-C-K.
Definition
- 1One who is stooped or hunched over.
- 2A deformed upper spinal column in the shape of a hump in the back.
- 3A person with kyphosis, a spinal deformity that causes a hunched over appearance.
Etymology
Back-formation from hunchbacked.
This word in other languages
Common misspellings
Also misspelled as: hhunchback,hnuchback,hucnhback,huncbhack,huncchback,hunchabck,hunchbacck,hunchbackk,hunchbakc,hunchbback,hunchbcak,hunchhback,hunhcback,hunnchback,uhnchback
Misspelling Pattern Breakdown
How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of hunchback - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.
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 "hunchback"?
What does "hunchback" mean?
What words are commonly confused with "hunchback"?
How do you pronounce "hunchback"?
What is the origin of the word "hunchback"?
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Using “hunchback”
The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.
- The one correct English spelling is H-U-N-C-H-B-A-C-K - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
- Say it as /ˈhʌnt͡ʃbæk/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
- Don't mix it up with “hatchback” - see the side-by-side comparison. hunchback vs hatchback
- 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.