Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

If you were to write this word, which spelling would you use?

60 replies

whatausername · 30/10/2023 11:26

Wacky or whacky?

OP posts:
Daffodilsandtuplips · 30/10/2023 17:09

Depends on the context. Something zany , crazy = Wacky
To hit = Whack/y

AgnesX · 30/10/2023 17:10

Like the Wacky Races 😁

ALongHardWinter · 30/10/2023 17:10

Wacky.

ErrolTheDragon · 30/10/2023 17:12

I'd probably spell it 'wacky', but apparently the etymology is from 'whack': from the notion of being whacked on the head one too many times.

www.etymonline.com/word/wacky

Both spellings are ok so use whichever you prefer.

AngeloMysterioso · 30/10/2023 17:13

Wacky. Whacky isn’t a word. Whack is a word but it has nothing to do with wacky.

GoodOldEmmaNess · 30/10/2023 17:15

This thread made me google the etymology of 'wacky' in the sense of 'crazy' and I learned that its probable origin is a slang term (originally spelt 'whacky' ) arising from the playful idea of being crazy as a result of a whack on the head. For that reason (ie the historical connection of wacky with whack) I am a new convert to the 'whacky' spelling. Though previously I might have favoured 'wacky'. Either is correct, as far as I can see.

marshmallowfinder · 30/10/2023 17:15

Wacky.

Talipesmum · 30/10/2023 17:23

Another “wacky as in wacky races” here.

Looks like overall “wacky” is a more common spelling, but if you break it down into British English or American English, rather than all English usage combined, it’s much more evenly split between the two in British English.

https://books.google.com/ngrams/graph?content=Wacky%2Cwhacky&year_start=1800&year_end=2019&corpus=en-2019&smoothing=3

If you were to write this word, which spelling would you use?
Saisong · 30/10/2023 17:25

I think I'd go for whacky if I had to write it. To my mind it derives similarly to 'out of whack' to mean something not quite straight.

Original poster
whatausername · 30/10/2023 18:34

Breadahead · 30/10/2023 16:14

If it's a word, then it's obsolete.

You know wacky is the preferred spelling, use wacky

Show quote history

I haven't indicated which I use ;)

OP posts:
Breadahead · 30/10/2023 19:03

whatausername · 30/10/2023 18:34

I haven't indicated which I use ;)

Show quote history

If you think both are words, and have a preference, why have you started this thread?

coxesorangepippin · 30/10/2023 19:30

Wacky

AllProperTeaIsTheft · 30/10/2023 19:38

Wacky

Cowlover89 · 30/10/2023 19:38

Wacky

CaptainMyCaptain · 30/10/2023 19:43

Wacky.

Wavescrashingonthebeach · 30/10/2023 19:44

Wacky. As in Wacky Warehouse

ColleenDonaghy · 30/10/2023 19:48

Wacky for crazy, whack for hitting, never whacky (pronounced differently for me).

aintnospringchicken · 30/10/2023 19:49

Wacky

MajesticWhine · 30/10/2023 19:50

Wacky
Final answer

NoSquirrels · 30/10/2023 19:52

I would correct whacky to wacky, as per the OED preferred spelling.

Poontangle · 30/10/2023 19:53

Both may be permitted variants, but I'd always prefer to use the spelling that doesn't expose me to the risk of being thought illiterate.

So, wacky.

LusaBatoosa · 30/10/2023 19:53

Wacky.

I saw ‘whacky’ used multiple times on a thread earlier today and it annoyed me beyond all reason.

WetBandits · 30/10/2023 19:56

Wacky!

Wacky Races said so.

MrsTerryPratchett · 30/10/2023 19:57

mathanxiety · 30/10/2023 17:02

I am Irish and pronounce the H in words like what, where, when, whack.

Whacky would be all wrong.

I suspect it's a misspelling based on the mistaken idea that the word is related to whack.

I have Cool WHip (Stewie Griffin) stuck in my head now. Thanks! Grin

And it's definitely wacky, as you say.

GETTINGLIKEMYMOTHER · 30/10/2023 20:18

Def. wacky, if you mean a bit mad.