# wick

> English word · Noun · IPA /wɪk/ · frequency rank #18,737

## Definitions
1. A braid or bundle of fibre or other porous material (now generally twisted or woven cotton) in a candle, kerosene heater, oil lamp, etc., that draws up a liquid fuel (such as melted tallow or wax, or oil) at one end, to be ignited at the other end to produce a flame.
2. A braid or bundle of fibre or other porous material (now generally twisted or woven cotton) in a candle, kerosene heater, oil lamp, etc., that draws up a liquid fuel (such as melted tallow or wax, or oil) at one end, to be ignited at the other end to produce a flame.
3. A braid or bundle of fibre or other porous material (now generally twisted or woven cotton) in a candle, kerosene heater, oil lamp, etc., that draws up a liquid fuel (such as melted tallow or wax, or oil) at one end, to be ignited at the other end to produce a flame.
4. Often in dip one's wick: the penis.

## Etymology
The noun is derived from Middle English wek, weke, wicke (“fibrous cord drawing fuel to flame of a candle, etc.; material used to make this object”), from Old English wēoce (“wick”), from Proto-West Germanic *weukā (“flax bundle; wick”), possibly from Proto-Indo-European *weg- (“to weave”).
It has been suggested that noun etymology 1 sense 2 (“penis”) is derived from Hampton Wick, used as rhyming slang for prick. If so, that sense should be placed under etymology 2.
The verb is derived from the noun.
cognates
* Dutch wiek (“wick; wing; blade, propeller”)
* German Wieche (“wick; wisp”)
* Swedish veke (“wick”)
* West Frisian wjok, wjuk (“wing”)

## Easily confused with
- **win** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/wick-vs-win)
- **wit** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/wick-vs-wit)
- **Wii** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/wick-vs-wii)
- **wig** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/wick-vs-wig)
- **wis** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/wick-vs-wis)
- **wiz** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/wick-vs-wiz)
- **Wie** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/wick-vs-wie)
- **WTC** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/wick-vs-wtc)
- **wok** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/wick-vs-wok)
- **wid** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/wick-vs-wid)
- **wim** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/wick-vs-wim)
- **with** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/wick-vs-with)
- **will** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/wick-vs-will)
- **work** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/wick-vs-work)
- **wife** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/wick-vs-wife)
- **wish** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/wick-vs-wish)
- **wide** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/wick-vs-wide)
- **wind** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/wick-vs-wind)
- **wild** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/wick-vs-wild)
- **wine** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/wick-vs-wine)

## Common misspellings (6)
`iwck`, `wcik`, `wicck`, `wickk`, `wikc`, `wwick`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/wick