kingpin

/ˈkɪŋ.pɪn/

//ˈkɪŋ.pɪn// noun

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

"kingpin" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“kingpin” has 11 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #28,968. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#28,968
frequency rank, English
1,236
“K” headwords
11
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - The axis around which steered wheels pivot; a bolt that holds the axis in place.

Corpus desk

Index EN-kingpin · kingpin · English

kingpin · rank #28,968 · 11 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #28,968
  • LEN-LONG 7 letters
  • VOW-2 2 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-MID 11 variants
  • BOOK-MID 1,236
  • PHOTO-FINISH kiosk

Nearest frequency peer: kiosk (+1 rank slots)

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.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “kingpin”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “kingpin” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for kingpin
PropertyValue
Headwordkingpin
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈkɪŋ.pɪn/
Letters7
Frequency rank#28,968
Misspellings tracked11
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “kingpin”

Word frequency stretches from the small set of words we reach for constantly (left) out to the long tail barely used once in a while (right).kingpinlands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Same rarity band neighbours include “kiosk” (#28,969), “Klopp” (#28,970), “Jeter” (#28,965). Among 1,236 “K” headwords, “kingpin” is #28,968. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 11 spelling variants around kingpin (IPA /ˈkɪŋ.pɪn/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #28,968 among 1,236 “K” headwords. Wiktionary lists 5 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 11 likely wrong-spelling variants for kingpin, with forms such as "ikngpin", "kignpin", and "kinggpin". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. No confusable counterpart is on file for this word, suggesting its spelling stands apart enough that readers rarely confuse it with something else.

Etymologically, the entry records: From king + pin. The correct English form is kingpin, spelled K-I-N-G-P-I-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    The axis around which steered wheels pivot; a bolt that holds the axis in place.
  2. 2
    The pivot or connector between a tractor and trailer in the fifth-wheel coupling of semi-trailer truck.
  3. 3
    The most important person in a usually evil undertaking or organization, often a druglord.
  4. 4
    The pin at the centre of the triangle of bowling pins (originally the tallest pin in kayles). Sometimes also the headpin at the apex.
  5. 5
    The bolt holding together the truck of a roller skate or skateboard.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. The employees brought back the apparently disappointing news that almost all components showed signs of wear. The sole exceptions were the kingpins, which remained virtually unworn. To the employees’ surprise, [Henry] Ford, instead of expressing pride in his well-made kingpins, declared that the kingpins were overbuilt, and that in the future they should…
  2. The rare salarian females are cloistered on their worlds out of tradition and respect. Powerful female Dalatrasses are dynasts and political kingpins. They determine the political course of their respective regions through shrewd negotiation.

Etymology

From king + pin.

This word in other languages

mandamás(Español)Hauptperson(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • ikngpin
  • kignpin
  • kinggpin
  • kingipn
  • kingpinn
  • kingpni
  • kingppin
  • kinngpin
  • kinpgin
  • kkingpin
  • knigpin

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of kingpin - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

ikngpin2kignpin2kinggpin1kingipn2kingpinn1kingpni2kingppin1kinngpin1
Edit distance from "kingpin"

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 "kingpin"?
"kingpin" is spelled K-I-N-G-P-I-N. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈkɪŋ.pɪn/.
What does "kingpin" mean?
As a noun, "kingpin" means: The axis around which steered wheels pivot; a bolt that holds the axis in place.
What are common misspellings of "kingpin"?
Common misspellings include "ikngpin", "kignpin", "kinggpin", "kingipn", "kingpinn". The correct spelling is "kingpin".
How do you pronounce "kingpin"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "kingpin" is /ˈkɪŋ.pɪn/. 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 "kingpin"?
From king + pin. 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.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "kingpin", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 7 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

leprosy#28,975instill#28,958Lombard#28,980Lubbock#28,982

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (11 here; floor ≥5).

Nanjing11 variantsFranken11 variantsoutbound11 variantsepisodic11 variants

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list