# wrinkle

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈɹɪŋkl̩/ · frequency rank #24,961

## Definitions
1. A small furrow, ridge or crease in an otherwise smooth surface.
2. A line or crease in the skin, especially when caused by age or fatigue.
3. A fault, imperfection or bug especially in a new system or product; typically, they will need to be ironed out.
4. A twist on something existing; a novel difference.

## Etymology
From Middle English wrinkle, wrynkel (“crease, fold, wrinkle”), from the verb (see below). Cognate with Dutch wrinkel (“wrinkle, crease”). Compare also Middle English runkel (“wrinkle”), from Old Norse hrukka (“wrinkle”), from Proto-Germanic *hrunkǭ (“wrinkle, crease”), whence also French fronce (“crooked smile, scowl, frown”), German Runzel (“wrinkle”).

## Easily confused with
- **wrinkled** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/wrinkle-vs-wrinkled)
- **winkle** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/winkle-vs-wrinkle)
- **winkler** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/winkler-vs-wrinkle)
- **wrangle** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/wrangle-vs-wrinkle)
- **wriggle** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/wriggle-vs-wrinkle)

## Common misspellings (11)
`rwinkle`, `wirnkle`, `wriknle`, `wrinkel`, `wrinkkle`, `wrinklle`, `wrinlke`, `wrinnkle`, `wrnikle`, `wrrinkle`, `wwrinkle`

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