perky
/ˈpɝki/adjective, noun
perky is spelled P-E-R-K-Y: 5 letters and 2 syllables. It appears about once in every 1 million words in written English, the 30,789th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As an adjective, perky means “Lively and often cheerful and enthusiastic” (English Wiktionary, September 2026).
How many letters and syllables are in perky?
| Letters | 5: P-E-R-K-Y |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 2 (from its American pronunciation) |
| In writing | about once in every 1 million words; the 30,789th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
| Rhymes with |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation and the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media); rhymes and same-letter words are computed by PlainSpell from its own word list.
How common is perky?
Perky appears about once in every 1 million words in written English, the 30,789th most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce perky?
- US /ˈpɝki/
Perky has 2 syllables (counted from its American pronunciation in the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: LL-Q1860_(eng)-Vealhurl-perky.wav, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
Words people confuse with perky
Also written: percy.
Sources: English Wiktionary (homophones, alternative spellings).
What rhymes with perky?
4 words on PlainSpell end in the same sounds as perky from its last stressed vowel (/ɜɹki/):
Computed by PlainSpell from the pronunciations in the English Wiktionary (dump of September 2, 2026): a rhyme shares every sound from the last stressed vowel to the end; ordered by written frequency (wordfreq 3.1).
Forms of perky
- perkier comparative
- perkiest superlative
- perkies plural
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does perky mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
adjective
- 1
Lively and often cheerful and enthusiastic.
She answered with a perky smile and bounced off.
- 2
Standing upright; firm.
The plant looks much perkier since I watered it.
- 3
obsoleteEarly-ripening.
noun
- 1
Alternative spelling of percy (“Percocet pill”).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Perky in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | gai, enthousiaste, vif , ferme, dressé |
| German | enthusiastisch, munter, keck, lebendig , aufrecht, fest |
| Spanish | vivaz, animado, alegre , respingón, turgente, paradito |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does perky come from?
From perk + -y.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).