socket

/ˈsɒkɪt/

//ˈsɒkɪt// noun

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

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

The verdict

“socket” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #14,635 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#14,635
frequency rank, English
6
letters
9
tracked misspellings
16
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Any of various concave objects (or portions of larger objects) that envelop a counterpart object.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

socket vs socks
67% similar
socket vs soviet
67% similar
socket vs sucker
67% similar

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

Key facts for socket
PropertyValue
Headwordsocket
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈsɒkɪt/
Letters6
Frequency rank#14,635
Misspellings tracked9
Confusable pairs16
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “socket” 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). socket 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 socket is 6 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈsɒkɪt/. Corpus data places it at rank #14,635 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 8 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 9 likely wrong-spelling variants for socket, with forms such as "oscket", "scoket", and "soccket". 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 16 confusable-pair relationships, "socks", "soviet", "sucker", 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 socket, soket, from Anglo-Norman soket (“spearhead”), diminutive of Old French soc (“plowshare”), from Vulgar Latin *soccus, a word borrowed from Gaulish, from Proto-Celtic *sukkos (compare modern Welsh swch (“plowshare”)), literally "pi… The correct English form is socket, spelled S-O-C-K-E-T.

Definition

  1. 1
    Any of various concave objects (or portions of larger objects) that envelop a counterpart object.
  2. 2
    Any of various concave objects (or portions of larger objects) that envelop a counterpart object.
  3. 3
    Any of various concave objects (or portions of larger objects) that envelop a counterpart object.
  4. 4
    Any of various concave objects (or portions of larger objects) that envelop a counterpart object.
  5. 5
    Any of various concave objects (or portions of larger objects) that envelop a counterpart object.
  6. 6
    One endpoint of a two-way communication link, used for interprocess communication across a network.
  7. 7
    One endpoint of a two-way named pipe on Unix and Unix-like systems, used for interprocess communication.
  8. 8
    A steel apparatus attached to a saddle to protect the thighs and legs.

Etymology

From Middle English socket, soket, from Anglo-Norman soket (“spearhead”), diminutive of Old French soc (“plowshare”), from Vulgar Latin *soccus, a word borrowed from Gaulish, from Proto-Celtic *sukkos (compare modern Welsh swch (“plowshare”)), literally "pig's snout", from Proto-Indo-European *suH-.

This word in other languages

enchufe(Español)prise(Français)Steckdose(Deutsch)tomada(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: oscket,scoket,soccket,socekt,sockett,sockket,sockte,sokcet,ssocket

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

oscket2scoket2soccket1socekt2sockett1sockket1sockte2sokcet2
Edit distance from "socket"

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 "socket"?
"socket" is spelled S-O-C-K-E-T. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈsɒkɪt/.
What does "socket" mean?
As a noun, "socket" means: Any of various concave objects (or portions of larger objects) that envelop a counterpart object.
What words are commonly confused with "socket"?
"socket" is commonly confused with "socks", "soviet", "sucker". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "socket"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "socket" is /ˈsɒkɪt/. 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 "socket"?
From Middle English socket, soket, from Anglo-Norman soket (“spearhead”), diminutive of Old French soc (“plowshare”), from Vulgar Latin *soccus, a word borrowed from Gaulish, from Proto-Celtic *sukkos (compare modern Welsh swch (“plowshare”)), lit... 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 “socket”

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

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