lank

/ˈlæŋk/

//ˈlæŋk// adj

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

"lank" is a 4-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“lank” is uncommon English (frequency #98,355 among 2,297 “L” headwords), classed as an adjective. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#98,355
frequency rank, English
2,297
“L” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - Slender or thin; not well filled out; not plump; shrunken; lean.

Corpus desk

Index EN-lank · lank · English

lank · rank #98,355 · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-RARE #98,355
  • LEN-MID 4 letters
  • VOW-1 1 vowel
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-MID 2,297
  • PHOTO-FINISH Lapid

Nearest frequency peer: Lapid (+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.

Long-tail ranks near “lank”

Sparse band: bars invert rank so rarer forms read shorter

corpus weight

What this shows Long-tail view: where “lank” sits against similarly uncommon English ranks.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for lank
PropertyValue
Headwordlank
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ˈlæŋk/
Letters4
Frequency rank#98,355
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “lank” in English

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

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

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Rare peers in the same band: “Lapid” (#98,356), “lampreys” (#98,352), “lamba” (#98,350). Among 2,297 “L” headwords, “lank” is #98,355. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

lank is uncommon English at frequency #98,355 among 2,297 “L” headwords, classed as anadjective, transcribed /ˈlæŋk/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 4 senses are on record.

The misspelling generator found no plausible variants for lank, a sign its spelling follows regular English conventions. We don't track a confusable pairing for this entry, suggesting its spelling stands apart enough that readers rarely confuse it with something else.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English lank, from Old English hlanc, from Proto-West Germanic *hlank, from Proto-Germanic *hlankaz (“lank, thin”), from Proto-Indo-European *kleng- (“to bend, turn, wind, twist”); compare German lenken (“to turn”), Gelenk (“joint”), Old High Ge… The correct English form is lank, spelled L-A-N-K.

Definition

  1. 1
    Slender or thin; not well filled out; not plump; shrunken; lean.
  2. 2
    Meagre, paltry, scant in quantity.
  3. 3
    Straight and flat; thin and limp. (Often associated with being greasy.)
  4. 4
    Languid; drooping, slack.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. Run barefoot up and down, threat’ning the flames With bisson rheum; a clout upon that head Where late the diadem stood, and for a robe, About her lank and all o’erteemed loins, A blanket, in the alarm of fear caught up;
  2. 1700, Isaac Barrow, Sermon XXII “Of Industry in our particular Calling, as Scholars,” in The Works of the Learned Isaac Barrow, D.D., London: John Tillotson, 2nd edition, Volume III, p. 226, […] who would not chuse […] to have rather a lank purse than an empty brain […] ?

Etymology

From Middle English lank, from Old English hlanc, from Proto-West Germanic *hlank, from Proto-Germanic *hlankaz (“lank, thin”), from Proto-Indo-European *kleng- (“to bend, turn, wind, twist”); compare German lenken (“to turn”), Gelenk (“joint”), Old High German hlanca (“hip, side, flank”), and English link (of a chain).

Synonyms

lithesveltewillowyslenderinsufficientscarcesparseinadequatelaxloosenutant

This word in other languages

delgado(Español)plats(Français)

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 "lank"?
"lank" is spelled L-A-N-K. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈlæŋk/.
What does "lank" mean?
As an adjective, "lank" means: Slender or thin; not well filled out; not plump; shrunken; lean.
How do you pronounce "lank"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "lank" is /ˈlæŋk/. 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 "lank"?
From Middle English lank, from Old English hlanc, from Proto-West Germanic *hlank, from Proto-Germanic *hlankaz (“lank, thin”), from Proto-Indo-European *kleng- (“to bend, turn, wind, twist”); compare German lenken (“to turn”), Gelenk (“joint”), O... 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 "lank", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 4 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

Khin#98,322Ketu#98,317namu#98,481hoed#98,226

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list