tack

/tæk/

//tæk// noun

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

"tack" is a 4-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“tack” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #17,973 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#17,973
frequency rank, English
4
letters
6
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A small nail with a flat head.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

tack vs TC
0% similar
tack vs TK
0% similar
tack vs tax
50% similar

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

Key facts for tack
PropertyValue
Headwordtack
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/tæk/
Letters4
Frequency rank#17,973
Misspellings tracked6
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “tack” 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). tack 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 tack is 4 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /tæk/. Corpus data places it at rank #17,973 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 14 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 6 likely wrong-spelling variants for tack, with forms such as "atck", "tacck", and "tackk". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "TC", "TK", "tax", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English tak, takke (“hook; staple; nail”), from Old Northern French taque (“nail, pin, peg”), from Frankish *takkō, from Proto-Germanic *takkô (“tip; point; protrusion; prong; tine; jag; spike; twig”), of unknown origin, but possibly from Proto-… The correct English form is tack, spelled T-A-C-K.

Definition

  1. 1
    A small nail with a flat head.
  2. 2
    A thumbtack.
  3. 3
    A loose seam used to temporarily fasten pieces of cloth.
  4. 4
    The lower corner on the leading edge of a sail relative to the direction of the wind.
  5. 5
    A course or heading that enables a sailing vessel to head upwind.
  6. 6
    A direction or course of action, especially a new one; a method or approach to solving a problem.
  7. 7
    The maneuver by which a sailing vessel turns its bow through the wind so that the wind changes from one side to the other.
  8. 8
    The distance a sailing vessel runs between these maneuvers when working to windward; a board.
  9. 9
    A rope used to hold in place the foremost lower corners of the courses when the vessel is close-hauled; also, a rope employed to pull the lower corner of a studding sail to the boom.
  10. 10
    Any of the various equipment and accessories worn by horses in the course of their use as domesticated animals.
  11. 11
    The stickiness of a compound, related to its cohesive and adhesive properties.
  12. 12
    Food generally; fare, especially of the hard bread or breadlike kind.
  13. 13
    That which is attached; a supplement; an appendix.
  14. 14
    Confidence; reliance.

Etymology

From Middle English tak, takke (“hook; staple; nail”), from Old Northern French taque (“nail, pin, peg”), from Frankish *takkō, from Proto-Germanic *takkô (“tip; point; protrusion; prong; tine; jag; spike; twig”), of unknown origin, but possibly from Proto-Indo-European *dHgʰ-n-, from the root *déHgʰ- (“to pinch; to tear, rip, fray”). Cognate with Saterland Frisian Takke (“bough; branch; twig”), West Frisian takke (“branch”), tûk (“branch, smart, sharp”), Dutch tak (“twig; branch; limb”), German Zacke (“jag; prong; spike; tooth; peak”).

Synonyms

coming about

This word in other languages

tachuela(Español)cap(Français)Pinne(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: atck,tacck,tackk,takc,tcak,ttack

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

atck2tacck1tackk1takc2tcak2ttack1
Edit distance from "tack"

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 "tack"?
"tack" is spelled T-A-C-K. The IPA pronunciation is /tæk/.
What does "tack" mean?
As a noun, "tack" means: A small nail with a flat head.
What words are commonly confused with "tack"?
"tack" is commonly confused with "TC", "TK", "tax". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "tack"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "tack" is /tæk/. 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 "tack"?
From Middle English tak, takke (“hook; staple; nail”), from Old Northern French taque (“nail, pin, peg”), from Frankish *takkō, from Proto-Germanic *takkô (“tip; point; protrusion; prong; tine; jag; spike; twig”), of unknown origin, but possibly f... 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 “tack”

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

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