# pesky

> English word · Adjective · IPA /ˈpɛski/ · frequency rank #25,528

## Definitions
1. Annoying, troublesome, irritating (usually of an animal or child).

## Etymology
Possibly from pesty. Compare similar alteration between nasty and nasky.

## Easily confused with
- **pest** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pesky-vs-pest)
- **peso** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pesky-vs-peso)
- **pussy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pesky-vs-pussy)
- **petty** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pesky-vs-petty)
- **pinky** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pesky-vs-pinky)
- **picky** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pesky-vs-picky)
- **pushy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pesky-vs-pushy)
- **posey** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pesky-vs-posey)
- **pesto** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pesky-vs-pesto)
- **pissy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pesky-vs-pissy)
- **porky** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pesky-vs-porky)
- **Petey** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pesky-vs-petey)
- **pes** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pes-vs-pesky)
- **peak** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/peak-vs-pesky)
- **peek** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/peek-vs-pesky)
- **peck** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/peck-vs-pesky)
- **perk** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/perk-vs-pesky)
- **perry** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/perry-vs-pesky)
- **penny** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/penny-vs-pesky)
- **peaks** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/peaks-vs-pesky)

## Common misspellings (8)
`epsky`, `peksy`, `peskky`, `peskyy`, `pessky`, `pesyk`, `ppesky`, `pseky`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/pesky