tuppence

/ˈtʌp(ə)ns/

//ˈtʌp(ə)ns// noun

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

"tuppence" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“tuppence” is uncommon English (frequency #91,095 among 3,151 “T” headwords), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#91,095
frequency rank, English
3,151
“T” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - Two pence (in pre- or post-decimalisation currency).

Corpus desk

Index EN-tuppence · tuppence · English

tuppence · rank #91,095 · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-RARE #91,095
  • LEN-LONG 8 letters
  • VOW-3 3 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-MID 3,151
  • PHOTO-FINISH tumorigenesis

Nearest frequency peer: tumorigenesis (-1 rank slots)

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.

Long-tail ranks near “tuppence”

Sparse band: bars invert rank so rarer forms read shorter

corpus weight

What this shows Long-tail view: where “tuppence” sits against similarly uncommon English ranks.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for tuppence
PropertyValue
Headwordtuppence
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈtʌp(ə)ns/
Letters8
Frequency rank#91,095
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “tuppence” in English

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right).tuppencefalls in this rarity band:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Ticks step logarithmically, so each one marks a roughly tenfold drop in how often the word turns up. Rare peers in the same band: “tumorigenesis” (#91,094), “Ulaanbaatar” (#91,098), “tropospheric” (#91,090). Among 3,151 “T” headwords, “tuppence” is #91,095. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

tuppence is uncommon English at frequency #91,095 among 3,151 “T” headwords, classed as anoun, transcribed /ˈtʌp(ə)ns/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 3 senses are on record.

We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for tuppence, typically a sign the spelling maps closely to how the word sounds. No close-neighbour confusable shows up for this headword in our dataset, suggesting its spelling stands apart enough that readers rarely confuse it with something else.

Etymologically, the entry records: By surface analysis, two + pence, collective plural of penny. Same for the definition: "Ellipsis of tuppence worth (“one’s opinion”)" however, this idiom is derived from this fact; in Britain it used to cost two pence ("tuppence") to post a letter, usually … The correct English form is tuppence, spelled T-U-P-P-E-N-C-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    Two pence (in pre- or post-decimalisation currency).
  2. 2
    Ellipsis of tuppence worth (“one’s opinion”).
  3. 3
    The vulva or vagina.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. Milk has gone up to tuppence ha’penny a pint.
  2. In less than four days twenty-three men had paid their tuppences to Henery, who ’ad been made the seckitary.

Etymology

By surface analysis, two + pence, collective plural of penny. Same for the definition: "Ellipsis of tuppence worth (“one’s opinion”)" however, this idiom is derived from this fact; in Britain it used to cost two pence ("tuppence") to post a letter, usually holding one's opinion.

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 "tuppence"?
"tuppence" is spelled T-U-P-P-E-N-C-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈtʌp(ə)ns/.
What does "tuppence" mean?
As a noun, "tuppence" means: Two pence (in pre- or post-decimalisation currency).
How do you pronounce "tuppence"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "tuppence" is /ˈtʌp(ə)ns/. 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 "tuppence"?
By surface analysis, two + pence, collective plural of penny. Same for the definition: "Ellipsis of tuppence worth (“one’s opinion”)" however, this idiom is derived from this fact; in Britain it used to cost two pence ("tuppence") to post a letter... 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.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "tuppence", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 8 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

trioxide#91,086uncorked#91,104toymaker#91,079townsite#91,077

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list