mink

/mɪŋk/

//mɪŋk// noun

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

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

The verdict

“mink” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #23,904 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#23,904
frequency rank, English
4
letters
6
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Any semi-aquatic, carnivorous mammal in the Mustelinae subfamily, similar to weasels, with dark fur, native to Europe and America, of which two species in different genera are extant: the American ...

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

mink vs MN
0% similar
mink vs MK
0% similar
mink vs mix
50% similar

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

Key facts for mink
PropertyValue
Headwordmink
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/mɪŋk/
Letters4
Frequency rank#23,904
Misspellings tracked6
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “mink” 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). mink 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 mink is 4 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /mɪŋk/. Corpus data places it at rank #23,904 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 4 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 6 likely wrong-spelling variants for mink, with forms such as "imnk", "mikn", and "minkk". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "MN", "MK", "mix", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Late Middle English mynk (“fur of the European mink”), apparently from Swedish mink, mänk, menk (“stinking animal in Finland, mink”). Compare Danish mink (“mink”), Icelandic minkur (“mink”). The correct English form is mink, spelled M-I-N-K.

Definition

  1. 1
    Any semi-aquatic, carnivorous mammal in the Mustelinae subfamily, similar to weasels, with dark fur, native to Europe and America, of which two species in different genera are extant: the American mink (Neogale vison) and the European mink (Mustela lutreola).
  2. 2
    The fur or pelt of a mink, used to make apparel.
  3. 3
    An article of clothing made of mink.
  4. 4
    A person with poor personal hygiene; a smelly person.

Etymology

From Late Middle English mynk (“fur of the European mink”), apparently from Swedish mink, mänk, menk (“stinking animal in Finland, mink”). Compare Danish mink (“mink”), Icelandic minkur (“mink”).

This word in other languages

vison(Français)Nerz(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: imnk,mikn,minkk,minnk,mmink,mnik

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of mink - 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.

imnk2mikn2minkk1minnk1mmink1mnik2
Edit distance from "mink"

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 "mink"?
"mink" is spelled M-I-N-K. The IPA pronunciation is /mɪŋk/.
What does "mink" mean?
As a noun, "mink" means: Any semi-aquatic, carnivorous mammal in the Mustelinae subfamily, similar to weasels, with dark fur, native to Europe and America, of which two species in different genera are extant: the American ...
What words are commonly confused with "mink"?
"mink" is commonly confused with "MN", "MK", "mix". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "mink"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "mink" is /mɪŋk/. 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 "mink"?
From Late Middle English mynk (“fur of the European mink”), apparently from Swedish mink, mänk, menk (“stinking animal in Finland, mink”). Compare Danish mink (“mink”), Icelandic minkur (“mink”). 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 “mink”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is M-I-N-K - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /mɪŋk/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “MN” - see the side-by-side comparison. mink vs MN
  • 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