pansy

/ˈpæn.zi/

//ˈpæn.zi// noun

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

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

The verdict

“pansy” has 8 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #38,542. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#38,542
frequency rank, English
4,417
“P” headwords
8
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - A cultivated flowering plant, derived by hybridization within species Viola tricolor.

Corpus desk

Index EN-pansy · pansy · English

pansy · rank #38,542 · 8 variants · 20 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #38,542
  • LEN-MID 5 letters
  • VOW-2 2 vowels
  • CONFUS-HIGH 20 pairs
  • VAR-MID 8 variants
  • BOOK-MID 4,417
  • PHOTO-FINISH panchayat

Nearest frequency peer: panchayat (-1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “pansy”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “pansy” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

pansy vs pay
60% similar
pansy vs pas
60% similar
pansy vs past
60% similar

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

Key facts for pansy
PropertyValue
Headwordpansy
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈpæn.zi/
Letters5
Frequency rank#38,542
Misspellings tracked8
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “pansy”

Word frequency stretches from the small set of words we reach for constantly (left) out to the long tail barely used once in a while (right).pansylands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Ticks step logarithmically, so each one marks a roughly tenfold drop in how often the word turns up. Same rarity band neighbours include “panchayat” (#38,541), “parading” (#38,543), “painkiller” (#38,540). Among 4,417 “P” headwords, “pansy” is #38,542. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 8 spelling variants around pansy (IPA /ˈpæn.zi/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #38,542 among 4,417 “P” headwords. Wiktionary lists 5 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 8 likely wrong-spelling variants for pansy, with forms such as "apnsy", "pannsy", and "panssy". 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, "pay", "pas", "past", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle French pensée (“thought”), as the plant resembles someone that is in deep thought, with a lowered head. Doublet of pensée. The correct English form is pansy, spelled P-A-N-S-Y.

Definition

  1. 1
    A cultivated flowering plant, derived by hybridization within species Viola tricolor.
  2. 2
    A deep purple colour, like that of the pansy.
  3. 3
    Any of various nymphalid butterflies of the genus Junonia.
  4. 4
    A timid, weak man or boy; a wuss.
  5. 5
    A male homosexual, especially one who is effeminate.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how pansy appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. The Daughters of the Flood have ſearch'd the Mead / For Violets pale, and cropt the Poppy's Head: / The Short Narciſſus and fair Daffodil, / Pancies to pleaſe the Sight, and Caſſia ſvveet to ſmell: […]
  2. Oh, what a perfect thought. Lilies-of-the-valley, and white pansies, double white violets and white velvet ribbon… From an unknown friend. … From one who understands. … For a Little Girl.

Etymology

From Middle French pensée (“thought”), as the plant resembles someone that is in deep thought, with a lowered head. Doublet of pensée.

This word in other languages

pensamiento(Español)pensée(Français)Stiefmütterchen(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • apnsy
  • pannsy
  • panssy
  • pansyy
  • panys
  • pasny
  • pnasy
  • ppansy

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of pansy - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

apnsy2pannsy1panssy1pansyy1panys2pasny2pnasy2ppansy1
Edit distance from "pansy"

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 "pansy"?
"pansy" is spelled P-A-N-S-Y. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈpæn.zi/.
What does "pansy" mean?
As a noun, "pansy" means: A cultivated flowering plant, derived by hybridization within species Viola tricolor.
What words are commonly confused with "pansy"?
"pansy" is commonly confused with "pay", "pas", "past". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "pansy"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "pansy" is /ˈpæn.zi/. 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 "pansy"?
From Middle French pensée (“thought”), as the plant resembles someone that is in deep thought, with a lowered head. Doublet of pensée. 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.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "pansy", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 5 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

parti#38,545quads#38,569mowed#38,509Remus#38,589

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (8 here; floor ≥5).

offbeat8 variantsroofed8 variantsleaped8 variantsjocks8 variants

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list