lossy

Name: lossy, English Word Data
Creator: Wiktionary
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

/ˈlɒsi/

//ˈlɒsi// adj

By PlainSpell · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) · analyzed May 6, 2026

The verdict

“lossy” is uncommon English (frequency #63,053 among 16,425 “L” headwords), classed as an adjective. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#63,053
frequency rank, English: 16,425
“L” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Of a communication channel, subject to loss of signal strength.

Key facts for lossy
Property	Value
Headword	lossy
Language	English
Part of speech	Adjective
IPA	/ˈlɒsi/
Letters	5
Frequency rank	#63,053
Misspellings tracked	0
Confusable pairs	0
Source	Wiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “lossy” 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). lossy lands here:

#63,053

#1#100#1K#10K#100K

← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

lossy is uncommon English at frequency #63,053 among 16,425 “L” headwords, classed as anadjective, transcribed /ˈlɒsi/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 3 senses are on record.

No generated misspelling entries exist for lossy in our index, which points to an orthography that plays by predictable English rules. No confusable counterpart is on file for this word, since its spelling is unusual enough that it doesn't cluster with a lookalike.

Etymologically, the entry records: From loss + -y. The correct English form is lossy, spelled L-O-S-S-Y.

Definition

1
Of a communication channel, subject to loss of signal strength.
2
Of an electricity transmission line, subject to various forms of power loss.
3
Of an algorithm for converting or compressing data, reducing the amount of information in data.

Etymology

From loss + -y.

Antonyms

lossless

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 "lossy"?

"lossy" is spelled L-O-S-S-Y. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈlɒsi/.

What does "lossy" mean?

As an adjective, "lossy" means: Of a communication channel, subject to loss of signal strength.

How do you pronounce "lossy"?

The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "lossy" is /ˈlɒsi/. 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 "lossy"?

From loss + -y. 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 “lossy”

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

The one correct English spelling is L-O-S-S-Y - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
Say it as /ˈlɒsi/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words

Other uncommon English words near this rank

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.