mangy

/ˈmeɪn.d͡ʒi/

//ˈmeɪn.d͡ʒi// adj

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

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

The verdict

“mangy” is an uncommon English word, ranked #84,484 in English word frequency and used as an adjective.

#84,484
frequency rank, English
5
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Afflicted, or looking as if afflicted, with mange.

Key facts for mangy
PropertyValue
Headwordmangy
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ˈmeɪn.d͡ʒi/
Letters5
Frequency rank#84,484
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “mangy” 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). mangy 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 mangy is 5 letters long, classified as an adjective, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈmeɪn.d͡ʒi/. Corpus data places it at rank #84,484 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 3 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our edit-distance generator produced no likely misspellings for mangy, since its letter pattern doesn't lend itself to common typo substitutions. This entry stands alone in our confusable dataset, a sign it's visually distinctive enough not to be mixed up with another word.

Etymologically, the entry records: From mange + -y. The correct English form is mangy, spelled M-A-N-G-Y.

Definition

  1. 1
    Afflicted, or looking as if afflicted, with mange.
  2. 2
    Worn and squalid-looking; bedraggled or decrepit.
  3. 3
    Contemptible, despicable, low.

Etymology

From mange + -y.

This word in other languages

sarnoso(Español)galeux(Français)krätzig(Deutsch)sarnento(Português)

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 "mangy"?
"mangy" is spelled M-A-N-G-Y. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈmeɪn.d͡ʒi/.
What does "mangy" mean?
As an adjective, "mangy" means: Afflicted, or looking as if afflicted, with mange.
How do you pronounce "mangy"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "mangy" is /ˈmeɪn.d͡ʒi/. 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 "mangy"?
From mange + -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 “mangy”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is M-A-N-G-Y - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈmeɪn.d͡ʒi/ (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
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