softy

noun

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

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

The verdict

“softy” is an uncommon English word, ranked #74,523 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#74,523
frequency rank, English
5
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A weak or sentimental person.

Key facts for softy
PropertyValue
Headwordsofty
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
Letters5
Frequency rank#74,523
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “softy” 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). softy 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 softy is 5 letters long, classified as a noun. Corpus data places it at rank #74,523 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 6 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

No misspelling variants are generated for softy in our index, a straightforward case of a spelling with little room for common typos. No confusable counterpart is on file for this word, suggesting its spelling stands apart enough that readers rarely confuse it with something else.

Etymologically, the entry records: From soft + -y. The correct English form is softy, spelled S-O-F-T-Y.

Definition

  1. 1
    A weak or sentimental person.
  2. 2
    Somebody who finds it difficult to scold or punish.
  3. 3
    A software expert who is ignorant of the workings of hardware.
  4. 4
    A soft drink containing no alcohol.
  5. 5
    A soft toy.
  6. 6
    A flaccid state of the penis.

Etymology

From soft + -y.

This word in other languages

sentimental(Español)Softie(Deutsch)

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 "softy"?
"softy" is spelled S-O-F-T-Y.
What does "softy" mean?
As a noun, "softy" means: A weak or sentimental person.
What is the origin of the word "softy"?
From soft + -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 “softy”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is S-O-F-T-Y - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • 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