stock

/stɒk/

//stɒk// noun

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

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

The verdict

“stock” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #1,255 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#1,255
frequency rank, English
5
letters
8
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A store or supply.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

stock vs stop
60% similar
stock vs suck
60% similar
stock vs stow
60% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for stock
PropertyValue
Headwordstock
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/stɒk/
Letters5
Frequency rank#1,255
Misspellings tracked8
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “stock” 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). stock 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 stock is 5 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /stɒk/. Corpus data places it at rank #1,255 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 42 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 8 likely wrong-spelling variants for stock, with forms such as "sotck", "sstock", and "stcok". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "stop", "suck", "stow", and more, since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English stok, from Old English stocc, from Proto-West Germanic *stokk, from Proto-Germanic *stukkaz (“tree-trunk”). Modern senses are mostly referring either to the trunk from which the tree grows (figuratively, its origin and/or support/foundat… The correct English form is stock, spelled S-T-O-C-K.

Definition

  1. 1
    A store or supply.
  2. 2
    A store or supply.
  3. 3
    A store or supply.
  4. 4
    A store or supply.
  5. 5
    A store or supply.
  6. 6
    A store or supply.
  7. 7
    A store or supply.
  8. 8
    The capital raised by a company through the issue of shares; the total of shares held by an individual shareholder.
  9. 9
    The capital raised by a company through the issue of shares; the total of shares held by an individual shareholder.
  10. 10
    The capital raised by a company through the issue of shares; the total of shares held by an individual shareholder.
  11. 11
    The capital raised by a company through the issue of shares; the total of shares held by an individual shareholder.
  12. 12
    The capital raised by a company through the issue of shares; the total of shares held by an individual shareholder.
  13. 13
    The raw material from which things are made, such as feedstock.
  14. 14
    The raw material from which things are made, such as feedstock.
  15. 15
    The raw material from which things are made, such as feedstock.
  16. 16
    The raw material from which things are made, such as feedstock.
  17. 17
    Stock theater, summer stock theater.
  18. 18
    The trunk and woody main stems or limbs of a tree; the base from which something grows or branches.
  19. 19
    The trunk and woody main stems or limbs of a tree; the base from which something grows or branches.
  20. 20
    The trunk and woody main stems or limbs of a tree; the base from which something grows or branches.
  21. 21
    The trunk and woody main stems or limbs of a tree; the base from which something grows or branches.
  22. 22
    Any of the several species of cruciferous flowers in the genus Matthiola.
  23. 23
    A handle or stem to which the working part of an implement or weapon is attached.
  24. 24
    A handle or stem to which the working part of an implement or weapon is attached.
  25. 25
    Part of a machine that supports items or holds them in place.
  26. 26
    Part of a machine that supports items or holds them in place.
  27. 27
    A bar, stick, or rod.
  28. 28
    A bar, stick, or rod.
  29. 29
    A bar, stick, or rod.
  30. 30
    A bar, stick, or rod.
  31. 31
    A type of (now formal or official) neckwear.
  32. 32
    A type of (now formal or official) neckwear.
  33. 33
    A bed for infants; a crib, cot, or cradle
  34. 34
    A piece of wood magically made to be just like a real baby and substituted for it by magical beings.
  35. 35
    A cover for the legs; a stocking.
  36. 36
    A block of wood; something fixed and solid; a pillar; a firm support; a post.
  37. 37
    A person who is as dull and lifeless as a stock or post; one who has little sense.
  38. 38
    The longest part of a split tally stick formerly struck in the exchequer, which was delivered to the person who had lent the king money on account, as the evidence of indebtedness.
  39. 39
    The frame or timbers on which a ship rests during construction.
  40. 40
    Red and grey bricks, used for the exterior of walls and the front of buildings.
  41. 41
    In tectology, an aggregate or colony of individuals, such as trees, chains of salpae, etc.
  42. 42
    The beater of a fulling mill.

Etymology

From Middle English stok, from Old English stocc, from Proto-West Germanic *stokk, from Proto-Germanic *stukkaz (“tree-trunk”). Modern senses are mostly referring either to the trunk from which the tree grows (figuratively, its origin and/or support/foundation), or to a piece of wood, stick, or rod. The senses of "supply" and "raw material" arose from a probable conflation with steck (“an item of goods, merchandise”) or the use of split tally sticks consisting of foil or counterfoil and stock to capture paid taxes, debts or exchanges. Doublet of chock.

Synonyms

livestockrolling stockfeedstockcard stockrootstockunderstockrudder stockrudderstockstock-tie

This word in other languages

stock(Español)stock(Français)Vorrat(Deutsch)estoque(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: sotck,sstock,stcok,stocck,stockk,stokc,sttock,tsock

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of stock - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

sotck2sstock1stcok2stocck1stockk1stokc2sttock1tsock2
Edit distance from "stock"

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 "stock"?
"stock" is spelled S-T-O-C-K. The IPA pronunciation is /stɒk/.
What does "stock" mean?
As a noun, "stock" means: A store or supply.
What words are commonly confused with "stock"?
"stock" is commonly confused with "stop", "suck", "stow". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "stock"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "stock" is /stɒk/. 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 "stock"?
From Middle English stok, from Old English stocc, from Proto-West Germanic *stokk, from Proto-Germanic *stukkaz (“tree-trunk”). Modern senses are mostly referring either to the trunk from which the tree grows (figuratively, its origin and/or suppo... 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 “stock”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is S-T-O-C-K - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /stɒk/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “stop” - see the side-by-side comparison. stock vs stop
  • 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