# playful

> English word · Adjective · IPA /ˈpleɪfl̩/ · frequency rank #14,385

## Definitions
1. liking play, prone to play frequently, such as a child or kitten; rather sportive.
2. funny, humorous, jesting, frolicsome, frisky.
3. fun, recreational, not serious.
4. experimental.

## Etymology
From Middle English pleiful, equivalent to play + -ful.

## Easily confused with
- **playfully** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/playful-vs-playfully)

## Common misspellings (11)
`lpayful`, `palyful`, `plafyul`, `playfful`, `playflu`, `playfull`, `playufl`, `playyful`, `pllayful`, `plyaful`, `pplayful`

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