tank top

noun

"tank-top" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“tank top” is outside the top-ranked English vocabulary, used as a noun - the kind of word writers most often double-check.

Unranked
below top-frequency English
8
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - An item of casual clothing: a top with no sleeves.

Key facts for tank top
PropertyValue
Headwordtank top
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
Letters8
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “tank top” sits in English frequency

tank top falls outside the top-100,000 ranked English words, the long-tail zone of technical, archaic, or low-frequency vocabulary, exactly where readers second-guess spellings most.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for tank top is 8 letters long, classified as a noun. It sits outside the most-frequent rank tiers, which is often why uncommon words generate more spelling variants per reader. Wiktionary records 2 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

No misspelling variants are generated for tank top in our index, since its letter pattern doesn't lend itself to common typo substitutions. Our confusable-pair dataset has no match for it, since no other headword is close enough in sound or shape to pair with it.

Etymologically, the entry records: The upper part of a tank suit worn by female swimmers in modester times when swimming pools were called swimming tanks. The correct English form is tank top, spelled T-A-N-K- -T-O-P.

Definition

  1. 1
    An item of casual clothing: a top with no sleeves.
  2. 2
    The top of a ship's bilge tank, usually the lowest horizontal surface on board.

Etymology

The upper part of a tank suit worn by female swimmers in modester times when swimming pools were called swimming tanks.

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 "tank top"?
"tank top" is spelled T-A-N-K- -T-O-P.
What does "tank top" mean?
As a noun, "tank top" means: An item of casual clothing: a top with no sleeves.
What is the origin of the word "tank top"?
The upper part of a tank suit worn by female swimmers in modester times when swimming pools were called swimming tanks. 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 “tank top”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is T-A-N-K- -T-O-P - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • 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