# stick

> English word · Noun · IPA /stɪk/ · frequency rank #1,802

## Definitions
1. An elongated piece of wood or similar material, typically put to some use, for example as a wand or baton.
2. An elongated piece of wood or similar material, typically put to some use, for example as a wand or baton.
3. An elongated piece of wood or similar material, typically put to some use, for example as a wand or baton.
4. An elongated piece of wood or similar material, typically put to some use, for example as a wand or baton.
5. An elongated piece of wood or similar material, typically put to some use, for example as a wand or baton.
6. An elongated piece of wood or similar material, typically put to some use, for example as a wand or baton.
7. An elongated piece of wood or similar material, typically put to some use, for example as a wand or baton.
8. An elongated piece of wood or similar material, typically put to some use, for example as a wand or baton.
9. An elongated piece of wood or similar material, typically put to some use, for example as a wand or baton.
10. Any roughly cylindrical (or rectangular) unit of a substance.
11. Any roughly cylindrical (or rectangular) unit of a substance.
12. Any roughly cylindrical (or rectangular) unit of a substance.
13. Any roughly cylindrical (or rectangular) unit of a substance.
14. Material or objects attached to a stick or the like.
15. Material or objects attached to a stick or the like.
16. Material or objects attached to a stick or the like.
17. A tool, control, or instrument shaped somewhat like a stick.
18. A tool, control, or instrument shaped somewhat like a stick.
19. A tool, control, or instrument shaped somewhat like a stick.
20. A tool, control, or instrument shaped somewhat like a stick.
21. A tool, control, or instrument shaped somewhat like a stick.
22. A tool, control, or instrument shaped somewhat like a stick.
23. A tool, control, or instrument shaped somewhat like a stick.
24. A tool, control, or instrument shaped somewhat like a stick.
25. A tool, control, or instrument shaped somewhat like a stick.
26. A tool, control, or instrument shaped somewhat like a stick.
27. A stick-like item:
28. A stick-like item:
29. A stick-like item:
30. A stick-like item:
31. A stick-like item:
32. A stick-like item:
33. Ability; specifically:
34. Ability; specifically:
35. Ability; specifically:
36. Ability; specifically:
37. A person or group of people. (Perhaps, in some senses, because people are, broadly speaking, tall and thin, like pieces of wood.)
38. A person or group of people. (Perhaps, in some senses, because people are, broadly speaking, tall and thin, like pieces of wood.)
39. A person or group of people. (Perhaps, in some senses, because people are, broadly speaking, tall and thin, like pieces of wood.)
40. A person or group of people. (Perhaps, in some senses, because people are, broadly speaking, tall and thin, like pieces of wood.)
41. A person or group of people. (Perhaps, in some senses, because people are, broadly speaking, tall and thin, like pieces of wood.)
42. A person or group of people. (Perhaps, in some senses, because people are, broadly speaking, tall and thin, like pieces of wood.)
43. A person or group of people. (Perhaps, in some senses, because people are, broadly speaking, tall and thin, like pieces of wood.)
44. Encouragement or punishment, or (resulting) vigour or other improved behavior.
45. Encouragement or punishment, or (resulting) vigour or other improved behavior.
46. Encouragement or punishment, or (resulting) vigour or other improved behavior.
47. Encouragement or punishment, or (resulting) vigour or other improved behavior.
48. Encouragement or punishment, or (resulting) vigour or other improved behavior.
49. A measure.
50. A measure.
51. Any of the eight 16-character groups making up the 128 characters of the 7-bit ASCII character set.

## Etymology
Etymology tree
Proto-Indo-European *(s)teyg-
Proto-Indo-European *stignéh₂-
Proto-Germanic *stikkōną
Proto-Germanic *stikkô
Proto-West Germanic *stikkō
Old English sticca
Middle English stikke
English stick
From Middle English stikke (“stick, rod, twig”), from Old English sticca (“rod, twig”), from Proto-West Germanic *stikkō, from Proto-Germanic *stikkô (“stick, pole”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)teyg- (“to pierce, prick, be sharp”). Cognate with Saterland Frisian Stikke (“stick”), West Flemish stik (“stick”), Dutch stek (“spot, place, home”), German Low German Stick (“stick”), German Stecken (“stick”), Danish and Norwegian stikke (“stick”), Swedish sticka (“splinter, needle”). Related to stigma.

## Easily confused with
- **suck** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/stick-vs-suck)
- **stir** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/stick-vs-stir)
- **stig** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/stick-vs-stig)
- **still** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/stick-vs-still)
- **stock** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/stick-vs-stock)
- **stuck** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/stick-vs-stuck)
- **stiff** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/stick-vs-stiff)
- **sting** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/stick-vs-sting)
- **stint** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/stick-vs-stint)
- **stink** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/stick-vs-stink)
- **stoic** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/stick-vs-stoic)
- **stork** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/stick-vs-stork)
- **stipe** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/stick-vs-stipe)
- **struck** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/stick-vs-struck)
- **stocks** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/stick-vs-stocks)
- **strict** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/stick-vs-strict)
- **sticks** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/stick-vs-sticks)
- **sticky** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/stick-vs-sticky)
- **stitch** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/stick-vs-stitch)
- **stinks** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/stick-vs-stinks)

## Common misspellings (8)
`sitck`, `sstick`, `stcik`, `sticck`, `stickk`, `stikc`, `sttick`, `tsick`

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