pimple

/ˈpɪmp(ə)l/

//ˈpɪmp(ə)l// noun

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

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

The verdict

“pimple” has 9 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #35,880. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#35,880
frequency rank, English
46,516
“P” headwords
9
tracked misspellings
7
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - An inflamed (raised and colored) spot on the surface of the skin that is usually painful and fills with pus.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

pimple vs pipe
67% similar
pimple vs pimps
67% similar
pimple vs purple
67% similar

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

Key facts for pimple
PropertyValue
Headwordpimple
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈpɪmp(ə)l/
Letters6
Frequency rank#35,880
Misspellings tracked9
Confusable pairs7
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “pimple” 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). pimple lands here:

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

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 9 spelling variants around pimple (IPA /ˈpɪmp(ə)l/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #35,880 among 46,516 “P” headwords. Wiktionary lists 3 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 9 likely wrong-spelling variants for pimple, with forms such as "ipmple", "pimlpe", and "pimmple". 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 7 confusable-pair relationships, "pipe", "pimps", "purple", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: Early Modern English pimple, pumple, from Middle English pymple, pympyl, of uncertain origin but probably a nasalized variant of Old English *pipel, *pypel, from Old English piplian, pyplian (“to break out in pimples, show eruptions”), probably related to L… The correct English form is pimple, spelled P-I-M-P-L-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    An inflamed (raised and colored) spot on the surface of the skin that is usually painful and fills with pus.
  2. 2
    An annoying person.
  3. 3
    Scotch (whisky)

Etymology

Early Modern English pimple, pumple, from Middle English pymple, pympyl, of uncertain origin but probably a nasalized variant of Old English *pipel, *pypel, from Old English piplian, pyplian (“to break out in pimples, show eruptions”), probably related to Latin papula (“pimple, pustule”) (from Proto-Indo-European *pap- (“pock mark, nipple”)). Akin to Old English pipliġende (“having shingles”).

Synonyms

ackeracnepustulespotplookzit

This word in other languages

espinilla(Español)bouton(Français)Pickel(Deutsch)borbulha(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • ipmple
  • pimlpe
  • pimmple
  • pimpel
  • pimplle
  • pimpple
  • pipmle
  • pmiple
  • ppimple

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of pimple - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

ipmple2pimlpe2pimmple1pimpel2pimplle1pimpple1pipmle2pmiple2
Edit distance from "pimple"

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 "pimple"?
"pimple" is spelled P-I-M-P-L-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈpɪmp(ə)l/.
What does "pimple" mean?
As a noun, "pimple" means: An inflamed (raised and colored) spot on the surface of the skin that is usually painful and fills with pus.
What words are commonly confused with "pimple"?
"pimple" is commonly confused with "pipe", "pimps", "purple". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "pimple"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "pimple" is /ˈpɪmp(ə)l/. 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 "pimple"?
Early Modern English pimple, pumple, from Middle English pymple, pympyl, of uncertain origin but probably a nasalized variant of Old English *pipel, *pypel, from Old English piplian, pyplian (“to break out in pimples, show eruptions”), probably re... 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.

Using “pimple”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is P-I-M-P-L-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈpɪmp(ə)l/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “pipe” - see the side-by-side comparison. pimple vs pipe
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words

Same frequency band

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