squiffy

/ˈskwɪf.i/

//ˈskwɪf.i// adj

"squiffy" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“squiffy” is uncommon English (outside the top frequency list), classed as an adjective. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

Unranked
below top-frequency English
7
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - slightly drunk or intoxicated; tipsy

Corpus desk

Index EN-squiffy · squiffy · English

squiffy · unranked · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-UNRANKED Unranked
  • LEN-LONG 7 letters
  • VOW-3 3 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-THIN "S" thin
  • PHOTO-UNK Peer pending

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.

Key facts for squiffy
PropertyValue
Headwordsquiffy
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ˈskwɪf.i/
Letters7
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “squiffy” in English

squiffysits beyond the 100,000 most-frequent English words, in the long tail of technical, archaic, or otherwise rare vocabulary where spelling doubt tends to strike hardest.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

squiffy is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as anadjective, transcribed /ˈskwɪf.i/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 2 senses are on record.

No generated misspelling entries exist for squiffy in our index, a straightforward case of a spelling with little room for common typos. This entry stands alone in our confusable dataset, a sign it's visually distinctive enough not to be mixed up with another word.

Etymologically, the entry records: Unknown; possibly coined in the 19th century. The correct English form is squiffy, spelled S-Q-U-I-F-F-Y.

Definition

  1. 1
    slightly drunk or intoxicated; tipsy
  2. 2
    Crooked, askew; awry

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. In the Palace bar. I'd been there an hour or so with two or three other chaps. I was a bit squiffy.
  2. His champagne glass was constantly refilled by the man who might or might not have been a butler, so that by the time they actually sat down to play, Ramsay was decidedly squiffy.

Etymology

Unknown; possibly coined in the 19th century.

Synonyms

This word in other languages

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "squiffy"?
"squiffy" is spelled S-Q-U-I-F-F-Y. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈskwɪf.i/.
What does "squiffy" mean?
As an adjective, "squiffy" means: slightly drunk or intoxicated; tipsy
How do you pronounce "squiffy"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "squiffy" is /ˈskwɪf.i/. 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 "squiffy"?
Unknown; possibly coined in the 19th century. 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.

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list