# stack

> English word · Noun · IPA /stæk/ · frequency rank #6,626

## Definitions
1. A pile.
2. A pile.
3. A pile.
4. A pile.
5. A pile.
6. A smokestack.
7. In computing.
8. In computing.
9. In computing.
10. In computing.
11. A generalization of schemes in algebraic geometry and of sheaves.
12. A coastal landform, consisting of a large vertical column of rock in the sea.
13. Compactly spaced bookshelves used to house large collections of books.
14. A large amount of an object.
15. A pile of rifles or muskets in a cone shape.
16. The amount of money a player has on the table.
17. In architecture.
18. In architecture.
19. A fall or crash, a prang.
20. A blend of various dietary supplements or anabolic steroids with supposed synergistic benefits.
21. A holding pattern, with aircraft circling one above the other as they wait to land.
22. The quantity of a given item which fills up an inventory slot or bag.

## Etymology
From Middle English stack, stacke, stakke, stak, from Old Norse stakkr (“a barn; haystack; heap; pile”), from Proto-Germanic *stakkaz (“a barn; rick; haystack”).
The data structure sense is a calque of Dutch stapel, introduced by Edsger W. Dijkstra. Cognate with Icelandic stakkur (“stack”), Swedish stack (“stack”), Danish stak (“stack”), Norwegian stakk (“stack”). Related to stake and sauna.

## Easily confused with
- **stay** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/stack-vs-stay)
- **star** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/stack-vs-star)
- **suck** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/stack-vs-suck)
- **stan** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/stack-vs-stan)
- **stat** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/stack-vs-stat)
- **stag** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/stack-vs-stag)
- **state** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/stack-vs-state)
- **start** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/stack-vs-start)
- **stand** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/stack-vs-stand)
- **stage** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/stack-vs-stage)
- **staff** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/stack-vs-staff)
- **stock** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/stack-vs-stock)
- **stars** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/stack-vs-stars)
- **stick** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/stack-vs-stick)
- **stuck** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/stack-vs-stuck)
- **stats** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/stack-vs-stats)
- **stays** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/stack-vs-stays)
- **stake** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/stack-vs-stake)
- **stamp** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/stack-vs-stamp)
- **stark** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/stack-vs-stark)

## Common misspellings (8)
`satck`, `sstack`, `stacck`, `stackk`, `stakc`, `stcak`, `sttack`, `tsack`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/stack