pick up

verb

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

"pick-up" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“pick up” is outside the top-ranked English vocabulary, used as a verb - the kind of word writers most often double-check.

Unranked
below top-frequency English
7
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To lift; to grasp and raise.

Key facts for pick up
PropertyValue
Headwordpick up
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
Letters7
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “pick up” sits in English frequency

pick up falls outside the top-100,000 ranked English words, the long-tail zone of technical, archaic, or low-frequency vocabulary, exactly where readers second-guess spellings most.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for pick up is 7 letters long, classified as a verb. It sits outside the most-frequent rank tiers, which is often why uncommon words generate more spelling variants per reader. Wiktionary records 24 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

pick up doesn't appear in our generated misspelling index, suggesting the orthography follows predictable English patterns. Our confusable-pair dataset has no match for it, since nothing in our dataset looks or sounds close enough to cause mix-ups.

Our source data has no etymology on file for this entry, so its spelling pattern is best understood through pronunciation rather than a traceable origin. The correct English form is pick up, spelled P-I-C-K- -U-P.

Definition

  1. 1
    To lift; to grasp and raise.
  2. 2
    To collect an object, especially in passing.
  3. 3
    To acquire (something) accidentally; to catch or contract (a disease).
  4. 4
    To clean up; to return to an organized state.
  5. 5
    To collect a passenger.
  6. 6
    To collect and detain (a suspect).
  7. 7
    To obtain and publish a story, news item, etc.
  8. 8
    To improve, increase, or speed up.
  9. 9
    To restart or resume.
  10. 10
    To reach and continue along (a road).
  11. 11
    To learn, to grasp; to begin to understand; to realize.
  12. 12
    To receive (a radio signal or the like).
  13. 13
    To notice, detect or discern; to pick up on.
  14. 14
    To point out the behaviour, habits, or actions of (a person) in a critical manner; used with on.
  15. 15
    To meet and seduce somebody for romantic purposes, especially in a social situation.
  16. 16
    To answer a telephone.
  17. 17
    To receive calls; to function correctly.
  18. 18
    To pay for.
  19. 19
    To reduce the despondency of.
  20. 20
    To take control (physically) of something.
  21. 21
    To mark, to defend against an opposition player by following them closely.
  22. 22
    To record; to notch up.
  23. 23
    To behave in a manner that results in a foul.
  24. 24
    To promote somebody who was previously passed over.

This word in other languages

coger(Español)soulever(Français)aufheben(Deutsch)pegar(Português)

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "pick up"?
"pick up" is spelled P-I-C-K- -U-P.
What does "pick up" mean?
As a verb, "pick up" means: To lift; to grasp and raise.
What language does "pick up" come from?
"pick up" is a English word. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, and spelling data for this and other words across English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and German on PlainSpell.
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 “pick up”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is P-I-C-K- -U-P - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • 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