wordy

/ˈwɝdi/

//ˈwɝdi// adj

"wordy" is a 5-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“wordy” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #49,727 in English word frequency and used as an adjective.

#49,727
frequency rank, English
5
letters
8
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Using an excessive number of words.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

wordy vs wry
60% similar
wordy vs work
60% similar
wordy vs wore
60% similar

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

Key facts for wordy
PropertyValue
Headwordwordy
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ˈwɝdi/
Letters5
Frequency rank#49,727
Misspellings tracked8
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “wordy” 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). wordy 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 wordy is 5 letters long, classified as an adjective, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈwɝdi/. Corpus data places it at rank #49,727 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. The dominant gloss from Wiktionary reads: "Using an excessive number of words.".

Our generated misspelling index lists 8 likely wrong-spelling variants for wordy, with forms such as "owrdy", "wodry", and "worddy". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "wry", "work", "wore", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English wordy, woordi, from Old English wordiġ (“wordy, verbose”), equivalent to word + -y. Cognate with Icelandic orðigur (“wordy”). The correct English form is wordy, spelled W-O-R-D-Y.

Definition

  1. 1
    Using an excessive number of words.

Etymology

From Middle English wordy, woordi, from Old English wordiġ (“wordy, verbose”), equivalent to word + -y. Cognate with Icelandic orðigur (“wordy”).

Synonyms

This word in other languages

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: owrdy,wodry,worddy,wordyy,worrdy,woryd,wrody,wwordy

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

owrdy2wodry2worddy1wordyy1worrdy1woryd2wrody2wwordy1
Edit distance from "wordy"

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 "wordy"?
"wordy" is spelled W-O-R-D-Y. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈwɝdi/.
What does "wordy" mean?
As an adjective, "wordy" means: Using an excessive number of words.
What words are commonly confused with "wordy"?
"wordy" is commonly confused with "wry", "work", "wore". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "wordy"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "wordy" is /ˈwɝdi/. 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 "wordy"?
From Middle English wordy, woordi, from Old English wordiġ (“wordy, verbose”), equivalent to word + -y. Cognate with Icelandic orðigur (“wordy”). 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 “wordy”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is W-O-R-D-Y - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈwɝdi/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “wry” - see the side-by-side comparison. wordy vs wry
  • 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