wipe

/waɪp/

//waɪp// verb

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

"wipe" is a 4-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“wipe” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #7,086 in English word frequency and used as a verb.

#7,086
frequency rank, English
4
letters
5
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To move an object over, maintaining contact, with the intention of removing some substance from the surface. (Compare rub.)

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

wipe vs WWE
0% similar
wipe vs wit
50% similar
wipe vs woe
50% similar

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

Key facts for wipe
PropertyValue
Headwordwipe
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/waɪp/
Letters4
Frequency rank#7,086
Misspellings tracked5
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “wipe” 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). wipe 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 wipe is 4 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /waɪp/. Corpus data places it at rank #7,086 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 11 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 5 likely wrong-spelling variants for wipe, with forms such as "iwpe", "wiep", and "wippe". 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, "WWE", "wit", "woe", 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 Middle English wipen, from Old English wīpian (“to wipe, rub, cleanse”), from Proto-West Germanic *wīpōn (“to wipe”), from Proto-Indo-European *weyp- (“to twist, wind around”). Cognate with German wippen (“to bob”), Swedish veva (“to turn, wind, crank”… The correct English form is wipe, spelled W-I-P-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    To move an object over, maintaining contact, with the intention of removing some substance from the surface. (Compare rub.)
  2. 2
    To smear (a substance) with this kind of motion.
  3. 3
    To remove by rubbing; to rub off; to obliterate; usually followed by away, off, or out.
  4. 4
    To clean (the anus, buttocks and/or genitals) after defecation or urination.
  5. 5
    To erase.
  6. 6
    To make (a joint, as between pieces of lead pipe), by surrounding the junction with a mass of solder, applied in a plastic condition by means of a rag with which the solder is shaped by rubbing.
  7. 7
    To remove an expression from one's face.
  8. 8
    To deperm (a ship).
  9. 9
    To perform a transition in which one scene or slide is replaced with another over time along a horizontal axis, as if one scene or slide is a layer being slid off the other.
  10. 10
    To hit or strike.
  11. 11
    To cheat; to defraud; to trick; usually followed by out.

Etymology

From Middle English wipen, from Old English wīpian (“to wipe, rub, cleanse”), from Proto-West Germanic *wīpōn (“to wipe”), from Proto-Indo-European *weyp- (“to twist, wind around”). Cognate with German wippen (“to bob”), Swedish veva (“to turn, wind, crank”), Gothic 𐍅𐌴𐌹𐍀𐌰𐌽 (weipan, “to wreathe, crown”), Old English swīfan (“to revolve, sweep, wend, intervene”), Sanskrit वेपते (vépate, “to tremble”). More at swivel, swift.

This word in other languages

limpiar(Español)essuyer(Français)wischen(Deutsch)esfregar(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: iwpe,wiep,wippe,wpie,wwipe

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

iwpe2wiep2wippe1wpie2wwipe1
Edit distance from "wipe"

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 "wipe"?
"wipe" is spelled W-I-P-E. The IPA pronunciation is /waɪp/.
What does "wipe" mean?
As a verb, "wipe" means: To move an object over, maintaining contact, with the intention of removing some substance from the surface. (Compare rub.)
What words are commonly confused with "wipe"?
"wipe" is commonly confused with "WWE", "wit", "woe". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "wipe"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "wipe" is /waɪp/. 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 "wipe"?
From Middle English wipen, from Old English wīpian (“to wipe, rub, cleanse”), from Proto-West Germanic *wīpōn (“to wipe”), from Proto-Indo-European *weyp- (“to twist, wind around”). Cognate with German wippen (“to bob”), Swedish veva (“to turn, wi... 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 “wipe”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is W-I-P-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /waɪp/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “WWE” - see the side-by-side comparison. wipe vs WWE
  • 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