monkeys

/ˈmʌŋkiz/

//ˈmʌŋkiz// noun

"monkeys" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“monkeys” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #8,829 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#8,829
frequency rank, English
7
letters
11
tracked misspellings
6
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - plural of monkey

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

monkeys vs monks
71% similar
monkeys vs money
71% similar
monkeys vs monkey
86% similar

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

Key facts for monkeys
PropertyValue
Headwordmonkeys
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈmʌŋkiz/
Letters7
Frequency rank#8,829
Misspellings tracked11
Confusable pairs6
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “monkeys” 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). monkeys 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 monkeys is 7 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈmʌŋkiz/. Corpus data places it at rank #8,829 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. The dominant gloss from Wiktionary reads: "plural of monkey".

Our generated misspelling index lists 11 likely wrong-spelling variants for monkeys, with forms such as "mmonkeys", "mnokeys", and "mokneys". 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 6 confusable-pair relationships, "monks", "money", "monkey", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

This headword's origin isn't recorded in our source data, so any spelling logic here comes from how the word's sounds map to letters, not a documented origin story. The correct English form is monkeys, spelled M-O-N-K-E-Y-S.

Definition

  1. 1
    plural of monkey

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: mmonkeys,mnokeys,mokneys,monekys,monkesy,monkeyss,monkeyys,monkkeys,monkyes,monnkeys,omnkeys

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

mmonkeys1mnokeys2mokneys2monekys2monkesy2monkeyss1monkeyys1monkkeys1
Edit distance from "monkeys"

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 "monkeys"?
"monkeys" is spelled M-O-N-K-E-Y-S. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈmʌŋkiz/.
What does "monkeys" mean?
As a noun, "monkeys" means: plural of monkey
What words are commonly confused with "monkeys"?
"monkeys" is commonly confused with "monks", "money", "monkey". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "monkeys"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "monkeys" is /ˈmʌŋkiz/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "monkeys" come from?
"monkeys" is a English word. PlainSpell's reference spans five languages -- English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and German -- with definitions, pronunciations, and spelling data for each.
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 “monkeys”

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

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