slimy

/ˈslaɪ.mi/

//ˈslaɪ.mi// adj

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

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

The verdict

“slimy” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #26,252 in English word frequency and used as an adjective.

#26,252
frequency rank, English
5
letters
8
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Of or pertaining to slime

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

slimy vs sly
60% similar
slimy vs slip
60% similar
slimy vs swim
60% similar

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

Key facts for slimy
PropertyValue
Headwordslimy
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ˈslaɪ.mi/
Letters5
Frequency rank#26,252
Misspellings tracked8
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “slimy” 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). slimy 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 slimy is 5 letters long, classified as an adjective, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈslaɪ.mi/. Corpus data places it at rank #26,252 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 3 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 slimy, with forms such as "lsimy", "silmy", and "slimmy". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "sly", "slip", "swim", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English slymy, slimi, either derived from the Old English noun slīm or an unattested *slīmiġ, replacing Old English slipiġ (“slippy, slimy”). Equivalent to slime + -y. Cognate with Dutch slijmig, slijmerig (“slimy”), German schleimig (“slimy; sm… The correct English form is slimy, spelled S-L-I-M-Y.

Definition

  1. 1
    Of or pertaining to slime
  2. 2
    Resembling, of the nature of, covered or daubed with, or abounding in slime
  3. 3
    Friendly in a false, calculating way; underhanded; two-faced; sneaky; slick; smarmy.

Etymology

From Middle English slymy, slimi, either derived from the Old English noun slīm or an unattested *slīmiġ, replacing Old English slipiġ (“slippy, slimy”). Equivalent to slime + -y. Cognate with Dutch slijmig, slijmerig (“slimy”), German schleimig (“slimy; smarmy”), Swedish slemmig (“slimy”).

Synonyms

lubricousconniving

This word in other languages

viscoso(Español)visqueux(Français)schleimig(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: lsimy,silmy,slimmy,slimyy,sliym,sllimy,slmiy,sslimy

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of slimy - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

lsimy2silmy2slimmy1slimyy1sliym2sllimy1slmiy2sslimy1
Edit distance from "slimy"

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 "slimy"?
"slimy" is spelled S-L-I-M-Y. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈslaɪ.mi/.
What does "slimy" mean?
As an adjective, "slimy" means: Of or pertaining to slime
What words are commonly confused with "slimy"?
"slimy" is commonly confused with "sly", "slip", "swim". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "slimy"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "slimy" is /ˈslaɪ.mi/. 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 "slimy"?
From Middle English slymy, slimi, either derived from the Old English noun slīm or an unattested *slīmiġ, replacing Old English slipiġ (“slippy, slimy”). Equivalent to slime + -y. Cognate with Dutch slijmig, slijmerig (“slimy”), German schleimig (... 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 “slimy”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is S-L-I-M-Y - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈslaɪ.mi/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “sly” - see the side-by-side comparison. slimy vs sly
  • 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