inukshuk

/ɪˈnʊkˌʃʊk/

//ɪˈnʊkˌʃʊk// noun

"inukshuk" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“inukshuk” is uncommon English (outside the top frequency list), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

Unranked
below top-frequency English
8
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - A structure of piled stones, used as a landmark and traditionally constructed by the Inuit, often resembling a humanoid figure.

Corpus desk

Index EN-inukshuk · inukshuk · English

inukshuk · unranked · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-UNRANKED Unranked
  • LEN-LONG 8 letters
  • VOW-3 3 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-THIN "I" thin
  • PHOTO-UNK Peer pending

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.

Key facts for inukshuk
PropertyValue
Headwordinukshuk
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ɪˈnʊkˌʃʊk/
Letters8
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “inukshuk” in English

inukshukfalls outside the top-100,000 ranked English words, the long-tail zone of technical, archaic, or low-frequency vocabulary, exactly where readers second-guess spellings most.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

inukshuk is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as anoun, transcribed /ɪˈnʊkˌʃʊk/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. Gloss: "A structure of piled stones, used as a landmark and traditionally constructed by the Inuit, often resembling a humanoid figure.".

The misspelling generator found no plausible variants for inukshuk, a straightforward case of a spelling with little room for common typos. This entry stands alone in our confusable dataset, a sign it's visually distinctive enough not to be mixed up with another word.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Inuktitut ᐃᓄᒃᓱᒃ (inoksok, “in the likeness of a human”). The correct English form is inukshuk, spelled I-N-U-K-S-H-U-K.

Definition

  1. 1
    A structure of piled stones, used as a landmark and traditionally constructed by the Inuit, often resembling a humanoid figure.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. The Nunavut Territory flag bears a rendering of an inukshuk in the form of a crucifix.
  2. This is a miniature copy of an inukshuk that actually stands up on a ridgeline far away in the interior, rocks piled in roughly the shape of a human, not to threaten the stranger but to guide him in country where landmarks are either too few or too many to keep straight.

Etymology

From Inuktitut ᐃᓄᒃᓱᒃ (inoksok, “in the likeness of a human”).

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 "inukshuk"?
"inukshuk" is spelled I-N-U-K-S-H-U-K. The IPA pronunciation is /ɪˈnʊkˌʃʊk/.
What does "inukshuk" mean?
As a noun, "inukshuk" means: A structure of piled stones, used as a landmark and traditionally constructed by the Inuit, often resembling a humanoid figure.
How do you pronounce "inukshuk"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "inukshuk" is /ɪˈnʊkˌʃʊk/. 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 "inukshuk"?
From Inuktitut ᐃᓄᒃᓱᒃ (inoksok, “in the likeness of a human”). 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.

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list