smoky

/ˈsmoʊki/

//ˈsmoʊki// adj

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

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

The verdict

“smoky” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #18,957 in English word frequency and used as an adjective.

#18,957
frequency rank, English
5
letters
8
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Filled with smoke.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

smoky vs soy
60% similar
smoky vs Sony
40% similar
smoky vs sook
60% similar

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

Key facts for smoky
PropertyValue
Headwordsmoky
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ˈsmoʊki/
Letters5
Frequency rank#18,957
Misspellings tracked8
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “smoky” 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). smoky 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 smoky is 5 letters long, classified as an adjective, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈsmoʊki/. Corpus data places it at rank #18,957 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 13 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 smoky, with forms such as "msoky", "smkoy", and "smmoky". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "soy", "Sony", "sook", 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 smoky, smokie, equivalent to smoke + -y. The correct English form is smoky, spelled S-M-O-K-Y.

Definition

  1. 1
    Filled with smoke.
  2. 2
    Filled with smoke.
  3. 3
    Giving off smoke.
  4. 4
    Of a colour or colour pattern similar to that of smoke.
  5. 5
    Having a flavour or odour like smoke; flavoured with smoke.
  6. 6
    Resembling or composed of smoke.
  7. 7
    Blackened by smoke.
  8. 8
    Having a deep, raspy quality, often as a result of smoking tobacco.
  9. 9
    Attractive in a sensual way; sultry.
  10. 10
    Having a dark, thick, bass sound.
  11. 11
    Giving off steam or vapour.
  12. 12
    Obscuring or insubstantial like smoke.
  13. 13
    Suspicious; open to suspicion; jealous.

Etymology

From Middle English smoky, smokie, equivalent to smoke + -y.

Synonyms

fumidfumous

This word in other languages

ahumado(Español)enfumé(Français)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: msoky,smkoy,smmoky,smokky,smokyy,smoyk,somky,ssmoky

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of smoky - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

msoky2smkoy2smmoky1smokky1smokyy1smoyk2somky2ssmoky1
Edit distance from "smoky"

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 "smoky"?
"smoky" is spelled S-M-O-K-Y. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈsmoʊki/.
What does "smoky" mean?
As an adjective, "smoky" means: Filled with smoke.
What words are commonly confused with "smoky"?
"smoky" is commonly confused with "soy", "Sony", "sook". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "smoky"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "smoky" is /ˈsmoʊki/. 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 "smoky"?
From Middle English smoky, smokie, equivalent to smoke + -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.

Using “smoky”

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

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