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” has 5 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #7,086. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#7,086
frequency rank, English
1,759
“W” headwords
5
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - To move an object over, maintaining contact, with the intention of removing some substance from the surface. (Compare rub.)

Corpus desk

Index EN-wipe · wipe · English

wipe · rank #7,086 · 5 variants · 20 confusables

  • FREQ-COMMON #7,086
  • LEN-MID 4 letters
  • VOW-2 2 vowels
  • CONFUS-HIGH 20 pairs
  • VAR-MID 5 variants
  • BOOK-MID 1,759
  • PHOTO-FINISH whip

Nearest frequency peer: whip (-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.

Frequency neighbourhood for “wipe”

Lower corpus rank = more everyday usage (inverted bar length for readability)

corpus weight

What this shows Bars show where “wipe” sits against the nearest ranked English headwords in the FrequencyWords band, not a reprint of letter-browse containment.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026

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 →

Ticks step logarithmically, so each one marks a roughly tenfold drop in how often the word turns up. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 5 spelling variants around wipe (IPA /waɪp/), averb. Corpus frequency is #7,086 among 1,759 “W” headwords. Wiktionary lists 11 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

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.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. Melissa wiped her glasses with her shirt.
  2. I wiped the sweat from my brow with the back of my hand.

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.

PlainSpell is rendered directly from structured Wiktionary extracts and open word-frequency lists, no number is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of September 3, 2026. Primary sources: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) and FrequencyWords.

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.

Similar English words by spelling shape

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

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 4 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

whip#7,085void#7,082chan#7,105chin#7,106

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (5 here; floor ≥5).

coup5 variantssail5 variantspulls5 variantsNATO5 variants

What to do next

You've looked up "wipe". Here's where to go from here.

  • "wipe" maps to 20 confusable pairs in this vintage; the highest-scored is "WWE". View pair
  • 5 edit-distance misspelling variants are generated for spell-check research on this headword. See variants
  • Usage frequency rank #7,086 among English headwords in this corpus. Corpus statistics
  • Browse more English words in the "W" letter cohort. W–Z browse
  • PlainSpell rotates a curated Word of the Day from the English corpus, a passive way to discover vocabulary. Word of the Day

PlainSpell is a reference corpus, not spelling advice. Verify unusual forms in context.

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