# prick

> English word · Noun · IPA /pɹɪk/ · frequency rank #13,043

## Definitions
1. A small hole or perforation, caused by piercing.
2. An indentation or small mark made with a pointed object.
3. A dot or other diacritical mark used in writing; a point.
4. A tiny particle; a small amount of something; a jot.
5. A small pointed object.
6. The experience or feeling of being pierced or punctured by a small, sharp object.
7. A feeling of remorse.
8. The penis.
9. Someone (especially a male) who is unpleasant, rude or annoying.
10. A small roll of yarn or tobacco.
11. The footprint of a hare.
12. A point or mark on the dial, noting the hour.
13. The point on a target at which an archer aims; the mark; the pin.

## Etymology
From Middle English prik, prikke, from Old English prica, pricu (“a sharp point, minute mark, spot, dot, small portion, prick”), from Proto-West Germanic *prikō, *priku, from Proto-Germanic *prikô, *prikō (“a prick, point”), of uncertain origin, perhaps from Proto-Indo-European *breyǵ- (“to scrape, scratch, rub, prickle, chap”).
Cognate with West Frisian prik (“small hole”), West Frisian prikke (“penis”), Dutch prik (“point, small stick", also "penis”), Danish prik (“dot”), Icelandic prik (“dot, small stick”).

## Easily confused with
- **puck** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/prick-vs-puck)
- **proc** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/prick-vs-proc)
- **prim** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/prick-vs-prim)
- **prior** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/prick-vs-prior)
- **prime** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/prick-vs-prime)
- **prize** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/prick-vs-prize)
- **print** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/prick-vs-print)
- **pride** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/prick-vs-pride)
- **privy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/prick-vs-privy)
- **prism** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/prick-vs-prism)
- **prima** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/prick-vs-prima)
- **Prius** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/prick-vs-prius)
- **primo** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/prick-vs-primo)
- **Priya** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/prick-vs-priya)
- **prince** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/prick-vs-prince)
- **pricks** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/prick-vs-pricks)
- **prickly** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/prick-vs-prickly)
- **pic** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pic-vs-prick)
- **PRC** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/prc-vs-prick)
- **pick** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pick-vs-prick)

## Common misspellings (8)
`pirck`, `pprick`, `prcik`, `pricck`, `prickk`, `prikc`, `prrick`, `rpick`

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