skanky

/ˈskæŋ.ki/

//ˈskæŋ.ki// adj

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

"skanky" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“skanky” is uncommon English (frequency #84,754 among 6,566 “S” headwords), classed as an adjective. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#84,754
frequency rank, English
6,566
“S” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - dirty; smutty or scabby

Corpus desk

Index EN-skanky · skanky · English

skanky · rank #84,754 · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-RARE #84,754
  • LEN-LONG 6 letters
  • VOW-2 2 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-DENSE 6,566
  • PHOTO-FINISH SJP

Nearest frequency peer: SJP (-1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Long-tail ranks near “skanky”

Sparse band: bars invert rank so rarer forms read shorter

corpus weight

What this shows Long-tail view: where “skanky” sits against similarly uncommon English ranks.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for skanky
PropertyValue
Headwordskanky
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ˈskæŋ.ki/
Letters6
Frequency rank#84,754
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “skanky” in English

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right).skankyfalls in this rarity band:

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

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Rare peers in the same band: “SJP” (#84,753), “skeptically” (#84,755), “silkscreen” (#84,751). Among 6,566 “S” headwords, “skanky” is #84,754. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

skanky is uncommon English at frequency #84,754 among 6,566 “S” headwords, classed as anadjective, transcribed /ˈskæŋ.ki/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 3 senses are on record.

No generated misspelling entries exist for skanky in our index, typically a sign the spelling maps closely to how the word sounds. This headword has no recorded confusable partner, suggesting its spelling stands apart enough that readers rarely confuse it with something else.

Etymologically, the entry records: From skank + -y. The correct English form is skanky, spelled S-K-A-N-K-Y.

Definition

  1. 1
    dirty; smutty or scabby
  2. 2
    Resembling or characteristic of a skank (disreputable woman).
  3. 3
    Resembling or characteristic of the skank dance.

Recorded use

Wiktionary example

These source excerpts show how skanky appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. Heavy Metal, Music from the Motion Picture (1981, Elektra): This movie is pretty lousy if you're sober and/or an adult, and the soundtrack should be either glammier or skankier, or maybe both.

Etymology

From skank + -y.

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 "skanky"?
"skanky" is spelled S-K-A-N-K-Y. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈskæŋ.ki/.
What does "skanky" mean?
As an adjective, "skanky" means: dirty; smutty or scabby
How do you pronounce "skanky"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "skanky" is /ˈskæŋ.ki/. 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 "skanky"?
From skank + -y. 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.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "skanky", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 6 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

SeaTac#84,725Scobie#84,721Saudia#84,715ruffed#84,703

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list