hiena

/ˈje.nɐ/

//ˈje.nɐ// noun

The verdict

“hiena” has 6 generated spelling variants in the Portuguese index at frequency #30,994. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#30,994
frequency rank, Portuguese
995
“H” headwords
6
tracked misspellings
3
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - mamífero, carnívoro, feroz e devorador de carne putrefacta

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

hiena vs hino
60% similar
hiena vs hera
60% similar
hiena vs hidra
60% similar

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

Key facts for hiena
PropertyValue
Headwordhiena
LanguagePortuguese
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈje.nɐ/
Letters5
Frequency rank#30,994
Misspellings tracked6
Confusable pairs3
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “hiena” sits in Portuguese 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). hiena lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 6 spelling variants around hiena (IPA /ˈje.nɐ/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #30,994 among 995 “H” headwords. Dominant gloss: "mamífero, carnívoro, feroz e devorador de carne putrefacta".

Our generated misspelling index lists 6 likely wrong-spelling variants for hiena, with forms such as "heina", "hhiena", and "hiean". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. It also participates in 3 confusable-pair relationships, "hino", "hera", "hidra", a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Wiktionary doesn't record an etymology for this headword, so any spelling logic here comes from how the word's sounds map to letters, not a documented origin story. The correct Portuguese form is hiena, spelled H-I-E-N-A.

Definition

  1. 1
    mamífero, carnívoro, feroz e devorador de carne putrefacta

This word in other languages

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • heina
  • hhiena
  • hiean
  • hienna
  • hinea
  • ihena

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of hiena - 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.

heina2hhiena1hiean2hienna1hinea2ihena2
Edit distance from "hiena"

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

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "hiena"?
"hiena" is spelled H-I-E-N-A. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈje.nɐ/.
What does "hiena" mean?
As a noun, "hiena" means: mamífero, carnívoro, feroz e devorador de carne putrefacta
What words are commonly confused with "hiena"?
"hiena" is commonly confused with "hino", "hera", "hidra". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "hiena"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "hiena" is /ˈje.nɐ/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "hiena" come from?
"hiena" is a Portuguese 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 “hiena”

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

  • The one correct Portuguese spelling is H-I-E-N-A - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈje.nɐ/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “hino” - see the side-by-side comparison. hiena vs hino
  • Browse more Portuguese words and confusable pairs in the same reference. Portuguese words

Same frequency band

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