junkie

/ˈd͡ʒʌŋki/

//ˈd͡ʒʌŋki// noun

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

The verdict

“junkie” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #20,399 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#20,399
frequency rank, English
6
letters
8
tracked misspellings
7
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A narcotics addict, especially a heroin user.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

junkie vs June
50% similar
junkie vs junk
67% similar
junkie vs juke
67% similar

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

Key facts for junkie
PropertyValue
Headwordjunkie
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈd͡ʒʌŋki/
Letters6
Frequency rank#20,399
Misspellings tracked8
Confusable pairs7
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “junkie” 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). junkie 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 junkie is 6 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈd͡ʒʌŋki/. Corpus data places it at rank #20,399 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 2 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 8 likely wrong-spelling variants for junkie, with forms such as "jjunkie", "jnukie", and "juknie". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 7 confusable-pair relationships, "June", "junk", "juke", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: From junk (“narcotic drug”) + -ie. The correct English form is junkie, spelled J-U-N-K-I-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    A narcotics addict, especially a heroin user.
  2. 2
    An enthusiast of something.

Etymology

From junk (“narcotic drug”) + -ie.

This word in other languages

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: jjunkie,jnukie,juknie,junike,junkei,junkkie,junnkie,ujnkie

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

jjunkie1jnukie2juknie2junike2junkei2junkkie1junnkie1ujnkie2
Edit distance from "junkie"

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 "junkie"?
"junkie" is spelled J-U-N-K-I-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈd͡ʒʌŋki/.
What does "junkie" mean?
As a noun, "junkie" means: A narcotics addict, especially a heroin user.
What words are commonly confused with "junkie"?
"junkie" is commonly confused with "June", "junk", "juke". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "junkie"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "junkie" is /ˈd͡ʒʌŋki/. 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 "junkie"?
From junk (“narcotic drug”) + -ie. 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 “junkie”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is J-U-N-K-I-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈd͡ʒʌŋki/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “June” - see the side-by-side comparison. junkie vs June
  • 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