macana

[maˈkana]

/[maˈkana]/ noun

The verdict

“macana” is an uncommon Spanish word, ranked #54,350 in Spanish word frequency and used as a noun.

#54,350
frequency rank, Spanish
6
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Vara o bastón de madera pesada, a veces guarecida de pedernal, que los caribes y otros pueblos de la región empleaban como arma.

Key facts for macana
PropertyValue
Headwordmacana
LanguageSpanish
Part of speechNoun
IPA[maˈkana]
Letters6
Frequency rank#54,350
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “macana” sits in Spanish 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). macana 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 Spanish entry for macana is 6 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as [maˈkana]. Corpus data places it at rank #54,350 in overall Spanish word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 7 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

The misspelling generator found no plausible variants for macana, a sign its spelling follows regular Spanish conventions. This entry stands alone in our confusable dataset, which tends to mean the word is visually distinctive enough to stand on its own.

This headword's origin isn't recorded in our source data, so its spelling is easiest explained by how it's pronounced rather than where it came from. The correct Spanish form is macana, spelled M-A-C-A-N-A.

Definition

  1. 1
    Vara o bastón de madera pesada, a veces guarecida de pedernal, que los caribes y otros pueblos de la región empleaban como arma.
  2. 2
    Por extensión, bastón grueso o garrote
  3. 3
    Porra de goma utilizada por las fuerzas de seguridad para reducir a los detenidos o controlar tumultos.
  4. 4
    Figuradamente, pene.
  5. 5
    Error que produce un contratiempo.
  6. 6
    Afirmación desatinada, falaz o engañosa
  7. 7
    Comentario jocoso o humorístico.

Synonyms

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 Spanish corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "macana"?
"macana" is spelled M-A-C-A-N-A. The IPA pronunciation is [maˈkana].
What does "macana" mean?
As a noun, "macana" means: Vara o bastón de madera pesada, a veces guarecida de pedernal, que los caribes y otros pueblos de la región empleaban como arma.
How do you pronounce "macana"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "macana" is [maˈkana]. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "macana" come from?
"macana" is a Spanish word. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, and spelling data for this and other words across English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and German on PlainSpell.
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 “macana”

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

  • The one correct Spanish spelling is M-A-C-A-N-A - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as [maˈkana] (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more Spanish words and confusable pairs in the same reference. Spanish 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