scrap

/skɹæp/

//skɹæp// noun

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

"scrap" is a 5-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“scrap” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #8,344 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#8,344
frequency rank, English
5
letters
8
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A (small) piece; a fragment; a detached, incomplete portion.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

scrap vs snap
60% similar
scrap vs soap
60% similar
scrap vs slap
60% similar

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

Key facts for scrap
PropertyValue
Headwordscrap
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/skɹæp/
Letters5
Frequency rank#8,344
Misspellings tracked8
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “scrap” 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). scrap lands here:

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

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

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for scrap is 5 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /skɹæp/. Corpus data places it at rank #8,344 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 9 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 8 likely wrong-spelling variants for scrap, with forms such as "csrap", "scarp", and "sccrap". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "snap", "soap", "slap", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English scrappe, from Old Norse skrap, from skrapa (“to scrape, scratch”), from Proto-Germanic *skrapōną, *skrepaną (“to scrape, scratch”), from Proto-Indo-European *skreb-, *skrep- (“to engrave”). Cf. Swedish skräp (“garbage”). The correct English form is scrap, spelled S-C-R-A-P.

Definition

  1. 1
    A (small) piece; a fragment; a detached, incomplete portion.
  2. 2
    A (small) piece; a fragment; a detached, incomplete portion.
  3. 3
    Leftover food.
  4. 4
    The crisp substance that remains after drying out animal fat.
  5. 5
    Discarded objects (especially metal) that may be dismantled to recover their constituent materials, junk.
  6. 6
    A piece of deep-fried batter left over from frying fish, sometimes sold with chips.
  7. 7
    Loose-leaf tobacco of a low grade, such as sweepings left over from handling higher grades.
  8. 8
    A Hispanic criminal, especially a Mexican or one affiliated with the Sureno gang.
  9. 9
    A snare for catching birds.

Etymology

From Middle English scrappe, from Old Norse skrap, from skrapa (“to scrape, scratch”), from Proto-Germanic *skrapōną, *skrepaną (“to scrape, scratch”), from Proto-Indo-European *skreb-, *skrep- (“to engrave”). Cf. Swedish skräp (“garbage”).

This word in other languages

resto(Español)bribe(Français)Stückchen(Deutsch)apara(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: csrap,scarp,sccrap,scrapp,scrpa,scrrap,srcap,sscrap

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of scrap - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

csrap2scarp2sccrap1scrapp1scrpa2scrrap1srcap2sscrap1
Edit distance from "scrap"

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 "scrap"?
"scrap" is spelled S-C-R-A-P. The IPA pronunciation is /skɹæp/.
What does "scrap" mean?
As a noun, "scrap" means: A (small) piece; a fragment; a detached, incomplete portion.
What words are commonly confused with "scrap"?
"scrap" is commonly confused with "snap", "soap", "slap". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "scrap"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "scrap" is /skɹæp/. 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 "scrap"?
From Middle English scrappe, from Old Norse skrap, from skrapa (“to scrape, scratch”), from Proto-Germanic *skrapōną, *skrepaną (“to scrape, scratch”), from Proto-Indo-European *skreb-, *skrep- (“to engrave”). Cf. Swedish skräp (“garbage”). 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 “scrap”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is S-C-R-A-P - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /skɹæp/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “snap” - see the side-by-side comparison. scrap vs snap
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
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 FrequencyWords open word-frequency list