wallaby

/ˈwɒləbi/

//ˈwɒləbi// noun

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

The verdict

“wallaby” has 9 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #45,162. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#45,162
frequency rank, English
12,113
“W” headwords
9
tracked misspellings
2
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Any of several species of macropod; usually smaller and stockier than kangaroos.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

wallaby vs Wally
57% similar
wallaby vs Wallace
57% similar

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

Key facts for wallaby
PropertyValue
Headwordwallaby
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈwɒləbi/
Letters7
Frequency rank#45,162
Misspellings tracked9
Confusable pairs2
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “wallaby” 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). wallaby lands here:

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

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 9 spelling variants around wallaby (IPA /ˈwɒləbi/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #45,162 among 12,113 “W” headwords. Dominant gloss: "Any of several species of macropod; usually smaller and stockier than kangaroos.".

Our generated misspelling index lists 9 likely wrong-spelling variants for wallaby, with forms such as "awllaby", "walaby", and "walalby". 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 2 confusable-pair relationships, "Wally", "Wallace", a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowed from Dharug wollabi (“rock-wallaby”). The correct English form is wallaby, spelled W-A-L-L-A-B-Y.

Definition

  1. 1
    Any of several species of macropod; usually smaller and stockier than kangaroos.

Etymology

Borrowed from Dharug wollabi (“rock-wallaby”).

This word in other languages

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: awllaby,walaby,walalby,wallabby,wallabyy,wallayb,wallbay,wlalaby,wwallaby

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of wallaby - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

awllaby2walaby1walalby2wallabby1wallabyy1wallayb2wallbay2wlalaby2
Edit distance from "wallaby"

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 "wallaby"?
"wallaby" is spelled W-A-L-L-A-B-Y. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈwɒləbi/.
What does "wallaby" mean?
As a noun, "wallaby" means: Any of several species of macropod; usually smaller and stockier than kangaroos.
What words are commonly confused with "wallaby"?
"wallaby" is commonly confused with "Wally", "Wallace". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "wallaby"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "wallaby" is /ˈwɒləbi/. 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 "wallaby"?
Borrowed from Dharug wollabi (“rock-wallaby”). 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 “wallaby”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is W-A-L-L-A-B-Y - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈwɒləbi/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “Wally” - see the side-by-side comparison. wallaby vs Wally
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words

Same frequency band

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