handicap

^((h aspiré))\ɑ̃.di.kap\

/^((h aspiré))\ɑ̃.di.kap\/ noun

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

The verdict

“handicap” is a regularly-used French word, ranked #6,198 in French word frequency and used as a noun.

#6,198
frequency rank, French
8
letters
12
tracked misspellings
4
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Épreuve ou concours de vitesse, de force ou d’endurance dans lesquels on égalise les chances des concurrents d’âge ou de qualités différents, mais en leur attribuant ou en leur ôtant une certaine a...

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

handicap vs handicapé
89% similar
handicap vs handicaps
89% similar
handicap vs handicapés
80% similar

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

Key facts for handicap
PropertyValue
Headwordhandicap
LanguageFrench
Part of speechNoun
IPA^((h aspiré))\ɑ̃.di.kap\
Letters8
Frequency rank#6,198
Misspellings tracked12
Confusable pairs4
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “handicap” sits in French 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). handicap 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 French entry for handicap is 8 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as ^((h aspiré))\ɑ̃.di.kap\. Corpus data places it at rank #6,198 in overall French word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 5 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 12 likely wrong-spelling variants for handicap, with forms such as "ahndicap", "hadnicap", and "handciap". 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 4 confusable-pair relationships, "handicapé", "handicaps", "handicapés", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

This headword's origin isn't recorded in our source data, so any spelling logic here comes from how the word's sounds map to letters, not a documented origin story. The correct French form is handicap, spelled H-A-N-D-I-C-A-P.

Definition

  1. 1
    Épreuve ou concours de vitesse, de force ou d’endurance dans lesquels on égalise les chances des concurrents d’âge ou de qualités différents, mais en leur attribuant ou en leur ôtant une certaine avance de temps, de distance ou de poids.
  2. 2
    Désavantage physique ou mental subi par une personne.
  3. 3
    Entrave, gêne, empêchement de quelqu’un ou quelque chose de développer, d'exprimer au mieux toutes ses possibilités ou d'agir en toute liberté.
  4. 4
    Aux courses de galop, désavantage donné aux concurrents sous forme de poids supplémentaire qu'ils doivent porter en fonction notamment de leurs gains et de leurs classements passés, visant à équilibrer les chances de succès à l'arrivée.
  5. 5
    Course à handicap.

Synonyms

surchargeinfirmitédéficience

This word in other languages

handicap(English)hándicap(Español)Ausgleich(Deutsch)deficiência(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: ahndicap,hadnicap,handciap,handdicap,handiacp,handicapp,handiccap,handicpa,hanidcap,hanndicap,hhandicap,hnadicap

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of handicap - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

ahndicap2hadnicap2handciap2handdicap1handiacp2handicapp1handiccap1handicpa2
Edit distance from "handicap"

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

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "handicap"?
"handicap" is spelled H-A-N-D-I-C-A-P. The IPA pronunciation is ^((h aspiré))\ɑ̃.di.kap\.
What does "handicap" mean?
As a noun, "handicap" means: Épreuve ou concours de vitesse, de force ou d’endurance dans lesquels on égalise les chances des concurrents d’âge ou de qualités différents, mais en leur attribuant ou en leur ôtant une certaine a...
What words are commonly confused with "handicap"?
"handicap" is commonly confused with "handicapé", "handicaps", "handicapés". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "handicap"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "handicap" is ^((h aspiré))\ɑ̃.di.kap\. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "handicap" come from?
"handicap" is a French word. PlainSpell covers definitions, pronunciations, and spelling data across English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and German.
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 “handicap”

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

  • The one correct French spelling is H-A-N-D-I-C-A-P - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as ^((h aspiré))\ɑ̃.di.kap\ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “handicapé” - see the side-by-side comparison. handicap vs handicapé
  • Browse more French words and confusable pairs in the same reference. French 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