khaki

/xɑki/

//xɑki// noun

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

"khaki" is a 5-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“khaki” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #27,529 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#27,529
frequency rank, English
5
letters
7
tracked misspellings
10
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A dull, yellowish-brown colour, the colour of dust.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

khaki vs khan
60% similar
khaki vs kiki
60% similar
khaki vs Khalid
50% similar

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

Key facts for khaki
PropertyValue
Headwordkhaki
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/xɑki/
Letters5
Frequency rank#27,529
Misspellings tracked7
Confusable pairs10
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “khaki” 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). khaki 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 khaki is 5 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /xɑki/. Corpus data places it at rank #27,529 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 6 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 khaki, with forms such as "hkaki", "kahki", and "khaik". 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 10 confusable-pair relationships, "khan", "kiki", "Khalid", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowed from Hindustani خاکی (xākī) / ख़ाकी (xākī), from Classical Persian خَاکِی (xākī, “dusty, earthy, earth-colored”). Noun sense 5 was coined in reference to the colour of the uniform of British troops during the Second Boer War; compare rooinek. The correct English form is khaki, spelled K-H-A-K-I.

Definition

  1. 1
    A dull, yellowish-brown colour, the colour of dust.
  2. 2
    Khaki green, a dull green colour.
  3. 3
    A strong cloth of wool or cotton, often used for military or other uniforms.
  4. 4
    A soldier wearing a khaki uniform.
  5. 5
    A British person.
  6. 6
    Khaki clothing or uniform.

Etymology

Borrowed from Hindustani خاکی (xākī) / ख़ाकी (xākī), from Classical Persian خَاکِی (xākī, “dusty, earthy, earth-colored”). Noun sense 5 was coined in reference to the colour of the uniform of British troops during the Second Boer War; compare rooinek.

This word in other languages

caqui(Español)Kaki(Deutsch)cáqui(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: hkaki,kahki,khaik,khakki,khhaki,khkai,kkhaki

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

hkaki2kahki2khaik2khakki1khhaki1khkai2kkhaki1
Edit distance from "khaki"

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 "khaki"?
"khaki" is spelled K-H-A-K-I. The IPA pronunciation is /xɑki/.
What does "khaki" mean?
As a noun, "khaki" means: A dull, yellowish-brown colour, the colour of dust.
What words are commonly confused with "khaki"?
"khaki" is commonly confused with "khan", "kiki", "Khalid". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "khaki"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "khaki" is /xɑki/. 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 "khaki"?
Borrowed from Hindustani خاکی (xākī) / ख़ाकी (xākī), from Classical Persian خَاکِی (xākī, “dusty, earthy, earth-colored”). Noun sense 5 was coined in reference to the colour of the uniform of British troops during the Second Boer War; compare rooi... 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 “khaki”

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

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