# leaky

> English word · Adjective · IPA /ˈliːki/ · frequency rank #26,859

## Definitions
1. Having leaks; not fully sealed.
2. Tending to leak secrets or information.

## Etymology
Likely a normalisation ( + -y) of earlier leak, leake, leke (“leaky”, adjective), from Middle English leke (“leaky”), from Old English hlec, *lec (“having cracks or rents; leaky”), from Proto-Germanic *lekaz (“leaking; leaky”). By surface analysis, leak + -y. Cognate with Scots lek, leck (“leaky”), Saterland Frisian läk (“leaky”), Dutch lek (“leaky”), German Low German leck (“leaky”), German leck (“leaky”), Swedish läck (“leaky”), Icelandic lekur (“leaky”).

## Easily confused with
- **ley** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/leaky-vs-ley)
- **lean** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/leaky-vs-lean)
- **leap** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/leaky-vs-leap)
- **levy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/leaky-vs-levy)
- **lear** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/leaky-vs-lear)
- **leek** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/leaky-vs-leek)
- **least** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/leaky-vs-least)
- **leave** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/leaky-vs-leave)
- **learn** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/leaky-vs-learn)
- **lucky** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/leaky-vs-lucky)
- **lease** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/leaky-vs-lease)
- **leash** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/leaky-vs-leash)
- **Lenny** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/leaky-vs-lenny)
- **leaps** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/leaky-vs-leaps)
- **Leroy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/leaky-vs-leroy)
- **leans** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/leaky-vs-leans)
- **lefty** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/leaky-vs-lefty)
- **leapt** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/leaky-vs-leapt)
- **leary** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/leaky-vs-leary)
- **leery** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/leaky-vs-leery)

## Common misspellings (7)
`elaky`, `laeky`, `leakky`, `leakyy`, `leayk`, `lekay`, `lleaky`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/leaky