kiosk

/ˈkiːˌɒsk/

//ˈkiːˌɒsk// noun

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

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

The verdict

“kiosk” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #28,969 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#28,969
frequency rank, English
5
letters
7
tracked misspellings
13
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A small enclosed structure, often freestanding, open on one side or with a window, used as a booth to sell newspapers, cigarettes, etc.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

kiosk vs Kos
40% similar
kiosk vs Kok
40% similar
kiosk vs kiss
60% similar

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

Key facts for kiosk
PropertyValue
Headwordkiosk
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈkiːˌɒsk/
Letters5
Frequency rank#28,969
Misspellings tracked7
Confusable pairs13
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “kiosk” 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). kiosk 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 kiosk is 5 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈkiːˌɒsk/. Corpus data places it at rank #28,969 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 4 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 kiosk, with forms such as "ikosk", "kioks", and "kioskk". 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 13 confusable-pair relationships, "Kos", "Kok", "kiss", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: Earlier kiosque, from French kiosque, from Italian chiosco, from Ottoman Turkish كوشك (köşk), from Classical Persian کوشْک (kōšk, “palace, portico”), from Middle Persian kwšk' (kōšk). The correct English form is kiosk, spelled K-I-O-S-K.

Definition

  1. 1
    A small enclosed structure, often freestanding, open on one side or with a window, used as a booth to sell newspapers, cigarettes, etc.
  2. 2
    A similar but unattended stand for the automatic dispensing of tickets, etc; an e-kiosk.
  3. 3
    A public telephone booth.
  4. 4
    A Turkish garden pavilion.

Etymology

Earlier kiosque, from French kiosque, from Italian chiosco, from Ottoman Turkish كوشك (köşk), from Classical Persian کوشْک (kōšk, “palace, portico”), from Middle Persian kwšk' (kōšk).

This word in other languages

quiosco(Español)kiosque(Français)Kiosk(Deutsch)quiosque(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: ikosk,kioks,kioskk,kiossk,kisok,kkiosk,koisk

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of kiosk - 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.

ikosk2kioks2kioskk1kiossk1kisok2kkiosk1koisk2
Edit distance from "kiosk"

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 "kiosk"?
"kiosk" is spelled K-I-O-S-K. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈkiːˌɒsk/.
What does "kiosk" mean?
As a noun, "kiosk" means: A small enclosed structure, often freestanding, open on one side or with a window, used as a booth to sell newspapers, cigarettes, etc.
What words are commonly confused with "kiosk"?
"kiosk" is commonly confused with "Kos", "Kok", "kiss". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "kiosk"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "kiosk" is /ˈkiːˌɒsk/. 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 "kiosk"?
Earlier kiosque, from French kiosque, from Italian chiosco, from Ottoman Turkish كوشك (köşk), from Classical Persian کوشْک (kōšk, “palace, portico”), from Middle Persian kwšk' (kōšk). 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 “kiosk”

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

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