# ploy

> English word · Noun · IPA /plɔɪ/ · frequency rank #21,898

## Definitions
1. A tactic, strategy, or scheme.
2. Sport; frolic.
3. Employment.

## Etymology
Possibly from a shortened form of employ or deploy. Or from earlier ploye, from Middle English, borrowed from Middle French ployer (compare modern plier), from Latin plicāre.

## Easily confused with
- **po** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ploy-vs-po)
- **pro** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ploy-vs-pro)
- **pop** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ploy-vs-pop)
- **pot** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ploy-vs-pot)
- **pod** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ploy-vs-pod)
- **pos** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ploy-vs-pos)
- **Poe** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ploy-vs-poe)
- **poo** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ploy-vs-poo)
- **POW** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ploy-vs-pow)
- **pol** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ploy-vs-pol)
- **POV** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ploy-vs-pov)
- **pom** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ploy-vs-pom)
- **ply** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ploy-vs-ply)
- **POC** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ploy-vs-poc)
- **pry** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ploy-vs-pry)
- **pox** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ploy-vs-pox)
- **poi** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ploy-vs-poi)
- **PTO** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ploy-vs-pto)
- **pon** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ploy-vs-pon)
- **poa** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ploy-vs-poa)

## Common misspellings (5)
`lpoy`, `plloy`, `ployy`, `plyo`, `pploy`

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