kleenex

/ˈkli.nɛks/

//ˈkli.nɛks// noun

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

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

The verdict

“kleenex” has 10 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #42,226. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#42,226
frequency rank, English
1,236
“K” headwords
10
tracked misspellings
2
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - A disposable tissue.

Corpus desk

Index EN-kleenex · kleenex · English

kleenex · rank #42,226 · 10 variants · 2 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #42,226
  • LEN-LONG 7 letters
  • VOW-3 3 vowels
  • CONFUS-LOW 2 pairs
  • VAR-MID 10 variants
  • BOOK-MID 1,236
  • PHOTO-FINISH Klamath

Nearest frequency peer: Klamath (-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 “kleenex”

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

corpus weight

What this shows “kleenex” 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

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

kleenex vs keene
71% similar
kleenex vs keener
71% similar

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

Key facts for kleenex
PropertyValue
Headwordkleenex
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈkli.nɛks/
Letters7
Frequency rank#42,226
Misspellings tracked10
Confusable pairs2
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “kleenex”

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right).kleenexlands here:

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

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Same rarity band neighbours include “Klamath” (#42,225), “kitsch” (#42,224), “labours” (#42,229). Among 1,236 “K” headwords, “kleenex” is #42,226. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 10 spelling variants around kleenex (IPA /ˈkli.nɛks/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #42,226 among 1,236 “K” headwords. Dominant gloss: "A disposable tissue.".

Our generated misspelling index lists 10 likely wrong-spelling variants for kleenex, with forms such as "kelenex", "kkleenex", and "kleeenx". 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 2 confusable-pair relationships, "keene", "keener", a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: From the name of brand of tissues trademarked by Cellucotton Products Company (now Kimberly-Clark) in 1924–25. Alteration of clean + -ex. The correct English form is kleenex, spelled K-L-E-E-N-E-X.

Definition

  1. 1
    A disposable tissue.

Recorded use

Wiktionary example

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

  1. Could you hand me a kleenex? My nose is running.

Etymology

From the name of brand of tissues trademarked by Cellucotton Products Company (now Kimberly-Clark) in 1924–25. Alteration of clean + -ex.

Synonyms

facial tissuetissue

This word in other languages

kleenex(Español)Kleenex(Français)Tempo(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • kelenex
  • kkleenex
  • kleeenx
  • kleenexx
  • kleennex
  • kleenxe
  • kleneex
  • klenex
  • klleenex
  • lkeenex

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of kleenex - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

kelenex2kkleenex1kleeenx2kleenexx1kleennex1kleenxe2kleneex2klenex1
Edit distance from "kleenex"

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 "kleenex"?
"kleenex" is spelled K-L-E-E-N-E-X. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈkli.nɛks/.
What does "kleenex" mean?
As a noun, "kleenex" means: A disposable tissue.
What words are commonly confused with "kleenex"?
"kleenex" is commonly confused with "keene", "keener". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "kleenex"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "kleenex" is /ˈkli.nɛks/. 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 "kleenex"?
From the name of brand of tissues trademarked by Cellucotton Products Company (now Kimberly-Clark) in 1924–25. Alteration of clean + -ex. 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 "kleenex", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

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

Klamath#42,225labours#42,229leadoff#42,232Jiangsu#42,215

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (10 here; floor ≥5).

kitsch10 variantslittoral10 variantsmacular10 variantsMadigan10 variants

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list