kicking
/ˈkɪkɪŋ/adjective, noun, verb
kicking is spelled K-I-C-K-I-N-G: 7 letters and 2 syllables. It appears 14 times per million words in written English, the 5,496th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As an adjective, kicking means “Terrific, great (of clothes) smart, fashionable” (English Wiktionary, September 2026).
How many letters and syllables are in kicking?
| Letters | 7: K-I-C-K-I-N-G |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 2 (from its American pronunciation) |
| In writing | 14 times per million words; the 5,496th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation and the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How common is kicking?
Kicking appears 14 times per million words in written English, the 5,496th most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce kicking?
- /ˈkɪkɪŋ/
Kicking has 2 syllables (counted from its American pronunciation in the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: En-au-kicking.ogg, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
Forms of kicking
- kickin'
- kickings plural
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does kicking mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
adjective
- 1
slangTerrific, great (of clothes) smart, fashionable.
a kicking pair of jeans
- 2
slangAlive, active (especially in the phrase alive and kicking).
still kicking at 89 years old
- 3
slangActively ongoing and enjoyable.
noun
- 1
The action of the verb to kick.
In boxing, kicking one's opponent is not allowed.
- 2
A violent assault involving repeated kicks.
The bullies pushed the boy over and gave him a kicking.
- 3
slangA great loss or defeat; licking.
- 4
A performance art that is a mix of dance footwork, acrobatic maneuver, and martial arts kicks, drawn from a variety of disciplines. Used in stage dance choreography and staged fight choreography.
verb
- 1
present participle and gerund of kick
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Kicking in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
In the sense Translations:
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| Spanish | pateadura, patiza, pateada |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.