# plank

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈplæŋk/ · frequency rank #15,884

## Definitions
1. A long, broad and thick piece of timber, as opposed to a board which is less thick.
2. A political issue that is of concern to a faction or a party of the people and the political position that is taken on that issue.
3. Physical exercise in which one holds a pushup position for a measured length of time.
4. A stupid person, idiot.
5. That which supports or upholds.

## Etymology
From Middle English plank, planke, borrowed from Old French planke, Old Northern French planque (compare French planche, from Old French planche), from Vulgar Latin planca, from palanca, from Latin phalanga. The Latin term derives from the Ancient Greek φάλαγξ (phálanx), so it is thus a doublet of phalange and phalanx. Compare also the doublets planch and planche, and plancha, borrowed later from Middle French, Modern French, and Spanish, respectively.

## Easily confused with
- **play** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/plank-vs-play)
- **punk** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/plank-vs-punk)
- **plat** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/plank-vs-plat)
- **plans** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/plank-vs-plans)
- **plant** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/plank-vs-plant)
- **plays** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/plank-vs-plays)
- **plate** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/plank-vs-plate)
- **plaza** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/plank-vs-plaza)
- **prank** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/plank-vs-prank)
- **Plato** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/plank-vs-plato)
- **playa** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/plank-vs-playa)
- **pluck** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/plank-vs-pluck)
- **platt** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/plank-vs-platt)
- **plano** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/plank-vs-plano)
- **Pliny** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/plank-vs-pliny)
- **plants** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/plank-vs-plants)
- **Poland** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/plank-vs-poland)
- **Pan** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pan-vs-plank)
- **Pak** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pak-vs-plank)
- **PLA** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pla-vs-plank)

## Common misspellings (8)
`lpank`, `palnk`, `plakn`, `plankk`, `plannk`, `pllank`, `plnak`, `pplank`

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