stiffy

/ˈstɪfi/

//ˈstɪfi// noun

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

The verdict

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

Unranked
below top-frequency English
6
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - An erection of the penis.

Corpus desk

Index EN-stiffy · stiffy · English

stiffy · unranked · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-UNRANKED Unranked
  • LEN-LONG 6 letters
  • VOW-2 2 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 stiffy
PropertyValue
Headwordstiffy
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈstɪfi/
Letters6
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “stiffy” in English

stiffysits 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

stiffy is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as anoun, transcribed /ˈstɪfi/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 4 senses are on record.

No misspelling variants are generated for stiffy in our index, since its letter pattern doesn't lend itself to common typo substitutions. This headword has no recorded confusable partner, since no other headword is close enough in sound or shape to pair with it.

Etymologically, the entry records: From stiff + -y. The correct English form is stiffy, spelled S-T-I-F-F-Y.

Definition

  1. 1
    An erection of the penis.
  2. 2
    A computer floppy disk of the kind supplied in a stiff plastic outer shell.
  3. 3
    An extended magazine of a gun.
  4. 4
    A rigidly conformative person; a square or goody-goody.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. Fred's got a bulge in his pants — you can tell that he's got a stiffy.
  2. Never leave home without a spare stiffy disc in your bag.

Etymology

From stiff + -y.

Synonyms

woodystiffy disc

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 "stiffy"?
"stiffy" is spelled S-T-I-F-F-Y. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈstɪfi/.
What does "stiffy" mean?
As a noun, "stiffy" means: An erection of the penis.
How do you pronounce "stiffy"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "stiffy" is /ˈstɪfi/. 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 "stiffy"?
From stiff + -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.

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list