tanker

/ˈtæŋkə/

//ˈtæŋkə// noun

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

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

The verdict

“tanker” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #16,365 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#16,365
frequency rank, English
6
letters
9
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A tankship, a vessel used to transport large quantities of fluid.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

tanker vs tanks
67% similar
tanker vs taper
67% similar
tanker vs taser
67% similar

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

Key facts for tanker
PropertyValue
Headwordtanker
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈtæŋkə/
Letters6
Frequency rank#16,365
Misspellings tracked9
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “tanker” 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). tanker 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 tanker is 6 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈtæŋkə/. Corpus data places it at rank #16,365 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 8 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 9 likely wrong-spelling variants for tanker, with forms such as "atnker", "takner", and "tanekr". 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, "tanks", "taper", "taser", 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 tank + -er. The correct English form is tanker, spelled T-A-N-K-E-R.

Definition

  1. 1
    A tankship, a vessel used to transport large quantities of fluid.
  2. 2
    A motor truck (lorry) with a tank to hold bulk liquid (with or without internal baffles): a fuel tanker (lorry), petrol tanker, road tanker.
  3. 3
    An aircraft carrying a large supply of jet fuel or avgas for aerial refueling of other aircraft, plus equipment allowing the in-air transfer of fuel.
  4. 4
    An aircraft built or modified to carry water and/or fire retardant for dropping on wildfires.
  5. 5
    A tank car (tank wagon).
  6. 6
    Member of a tank crew, or of an armoured unit.
  7. 7
    An airman who serves on the crew of an aerial refueling tanker aircraft.
  8. 8
    A longboard.

Etymology

From tank + -er.

This word in other languages

navire-citerne(Français)Tanker(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: atnker,takner,tanekr,tankerr,tankker,tankre,tannker,tnaker,ttanker

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

atnker2takner2tanekr2tankerr1tankker1tankre2tannker1tnaker2
Edit distance from "tanker"

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 "tanker"?
"tanker" is spelled T-A-N-K-E-R. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈtæŋkə/.
What does "tanker" mean?
As a noun, "tanker" means: A tankship, a vessel used to transport large quantities of fluid.
What words are commonly confused with "tanker"?
"tanker" is commonly confused with "tanks", "taper", "taser". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "tanker"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "tanker" is /ˈtæŋkə/. 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 "tanker"?
From tank + -er. 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 “tanker”

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

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