There are many morphemes which are realised as the /ɪ/ vowel, such as the -ly adverb ending on adjectives ending in -ful or -able, and the -y adjective- forming ending on nouns, such as cloudy from cloud. This is what accounts for the high total of minimal pairs. In the cases where /ɪ/ has been deleted from the middle of a word and the surrounding consonants closed up to make a cluster, the deleted vowel is usually unstressed, thus making this close to a true minimal pair, such as belays/blaze, though in some cases the stress has changed, eg billow/blow.
Homographs include the two pronunciations of aged, crabbed, dogged, learned and ragged. (Wicked is not in this dictionary with the sense of 'having a wick'.) There are a number of cases in which two /ɪ/ vowels have been deleted, such as notices/notes; these are not strictly minimal pairs, but have been left in.
The density value is 3.6%. The set makes 1187 semantic distinctions, giving a loading of 88%.
ably able acceptably acceptable acuity acute adorably adorable adverbially adverbial affably affable aged aged agilely agile agreeably agreeable algebraically algebraical Ali Al alley Al amiably amiable amply ample Amy aim Andy and Annie an Annie Ann annually annual ante ant any N appreciably appreciable argosy Argus arguably arguable army arm armies arms armies alms artfully artful arty art ashy ash assembly assemble assemblies assembles audibly audible auntie aren't auntie aunt Aussie oz baby babe babies babes baccy back baggy bag Bahraini Bahrain bailey bail baileys bails bailey bale baileys bales balefully baleful balmy balm bandy band bandies bands bandy banned banefully baneful Bangladeshi Bangladesh barmy balm barony baron baronies barons barony barren bashfully bashful basket basked bastardies bastards bastardy bastard Batley battle batty bat bawdy bawd bawdy board bawdy bored beady bead beefy beef belayed blade belays blaze belie Blyth belly bell bellied belled bellies bells belly belle bellies belles below blow Benny ben bereave breve bereaves breves Bernie Bern Bernie burn Bertie Bert Bessie Bess bestially bestial Betsy bets Betty bet Bhutani Bhutan biennially biennial bilaterally bilateral billow blow billowed blowed billows blows Blighty blight bloody blood blowzy blouse boastfully boastful bobby bob bobbies bobs boggy bog bonny Bonn bony bone booby boob boobies boobs bookie book booty boot boozy boos boozy booze bossy boss bouncy bounce bracket bract brackets bracts brainy brain branchy branch brandy brand brandies brands brassy brass brawny brawn breezy breeze briny brine broody brewed broody brood brownie brown brownies browns bubbly bubble bucket bucked Buckie buck Buckley buckle buddy bud buddies buds budgie budge buffet buffed buggy bug buggies bugs bulky bulk bully bull bullies bulls bumpy bump bunny bun bunnies buns bushy bush cabby cab cabbies cabs caddy cad caddies cads cagey cage candy canned canny can canny Cannes capably capable carpet carped carroty carat carroty carrot carsick cask casually casual catchy catch Cathy Cath catty cat centennially centennial centrally central chalky chalk chancy chance chattily chattel chatty chat cheeky cheek cheerfully cheerful chirpy chirp chokey choke choosey chews choosey choose choppy chop chummy chum chunky chunk clammy clam classy class clayey clay cloggy clog cloudy cloud Clwyd clewed cockiest coxed cocky cock coffee cough coherency coherence collie col collies cols colloquially colloquial comfortably comfortable commercially commercial compatibly compatible complacency complacence conceivably conceivable conceptually conceptual coney cone coneys cones congenially congenial conjugally conjugal Connie con constancy Constance conversationally conversational cookie cook coolie cool coolies cools coppice cops coppice copse copy cop cordially cordial corny corn corset coursed cosset cost cossets costs countess counts county count coyly coil crabbed crabbed crafty craft craggy crag cranky crank Crawley crawl crazy craze creaky creak creaky creek creamy cream credibly credible creepy creep cabby cab crony crone cronies crones cruelly cruel crumbly crumble crusty crust cuddly cuddle culpably culpable curly curl curtly kirtle custody custard dacoity dacoit daddy dad daddies dads daily dale dailies dales dais dace daisy days daisy daze damnably damnable Danny Dan Darkie dark Davey Dave Debbie deb Delhi dell demagogy demagogue demoniacally demoniacal demonstrably demonstrable Denis dense Denny den deride dried derive drive derives drives dewiest deuced dewy dew dewy due dhoti dote dicey dice direfully direful dirty dirt divergency divergence docket docked dodgy dodge dogged dogged doggy dog doggies dogs dolefully doleful dolly doll dollies dolls dopey dope dotty dot doubly double doubtfully doubtful doughty doubt doughy doe doughy doh doughy dough downy down draughty draft draughty draught dreadfully dreadful dreamy dream dressy dress dropsy drops drowsy drowse duchy Dutch ducky duck dummy dumb dumpy dump dusky dusk dusty dost dusty dust early earl earthy earth easy ease easy E's eclair Clare eddy ed edgy edge educe deuce educed deuced efface face effaced faced effete feat effete feet effusion fusion effusions fusions eighty eight Elaine lain Elaine lane elapse laps elapse lapse elapsed lapsed elate late eleven leaven elevens leavens elide lied Eliza Liza Ellie L elope lope eloped loped elopes lopes Elsie else Ely eel emend mend emends mends emerge merge emerged merged emotion motion emotionless motionless emotions motions ennoble noble ennobles nobles enumeration numeration enumerations numerations equably equable equally equal erase raise erased raised eraser raiser erasers raisers erase rase erased rased erase rays eraser razor erasers razors erect wrecked Ernie earn Ernie urn erode road erodes roads erode rode erode rowed escutcheon scutcheon escutcheons scutcheons especial special espy spy espied spied espies spies espouse spouse Esquire squire Esquires squires estate state estates states esteem steam esteemed steamed esteems steams estrange strange ethyl Ethel evaluation valuation evaluations valuations event vent events vents Excellency excellence factually factual faddy fad faithfully faithful fallacy phallus fanny fan fannies fans Farsi farce fashionably fashionable fatefully fateful fatty fat faucet forced faulty fault favourably favourable Fawley fall fearfully fearful feebly feeble felony felon felonies felons ferny fern fiesta fester fiestas festers finely final fiord ford fiords fords flaky flake flashy flash fleecy fleece fleshy flesh flexibly flexible flighty flight floozie flues floppy flop fluffy fluff flunkey flunk flunky flunk foamy foam foggy fog folksy folks fondly fondle forcefully forceful forcibly forcible forgetfully forgetful forty fort forty fought foully foul foully fowl foxy fox freaky freak Freddie Fred fretfully fretful Friday fried frightfully frightful frosty frost frothy froth fruitfully fruitful fruity fruit frumpy frump fuggy fug fully full fully-fashioned full-fashioned fully-fledged full-fledged fully-grown full-grown funky funk funnily funnel funny fun fussy fuss fusty fussed fuzzy fuzz gaily Gael gaily gale gainfully gainful galley gal galleys gals gamy game gassy gas gaudy gaud gaudies gauds gaudy gored gauzy gauze gauzy gores gawky gawk generally general genially genial genie gene genies genes genie jean genies jeans genital gentle gently gentle Georgie George Germany German Gertie girt glassy glass gleefully gleeful gloomy gloom glossy gloss gluey glue gluttony glutton goalie goal goalies goals goody good goodies goods gooey goo goofy goof Gorky gawk gouty gout gracefully graceful gradually gradual grassy grass gratefully grateful gravy grave grayest graced greasy grease greedy greed greyly grail grimy grime groggy grog groovy groove grotty grot grouchy grouch grubby grub gully gull gullies gulls gummy gum gunny gun gusset gust gussets gusts gusty gust gutturally guttural Hagley haggle Haiti hate Halle Hal handily handle handiwork handwork handy hand hanky hank happy hap hardy hard hardiness hardness harmfully harmful harpy harp Harvey halve hasty haste hatchet hatched hatefully hateful Hawick hawk hazily hazel hazy haze heady head healthy health hearty hart hearty heart helpfully helpful heterodoxy heterodox hobby hob hobbies hobs hockey hock holy hole holies holes holy whole holies wholes homey home honey Hun honeys Huns honourably honourable hooey Hoo hooey who hooky hook hopefully hopeful Horley hall Horley haul hornet haunt hornets haunts Hornsea horns horny horn horribly horrible horsy hoarse horsy horse hostess hosts hostilely hostile hubby hub hubbies hubs huffy huff Hughie hew Hughie hue Hughie Hugh humbly humble husky husk icy ice ideally ideal idly idle idly idol igloo glue igloos glues illegal legal illegible legible illegibly legibly illume loom illumed loomed illumes looms immaterial material immature mature immeasurable measurable immeasurably measurably immobile mobile immoderate moderate immoral moral immorally morally immortal mortal immortals mortals immovable movable immovably movably immutable mutable immutably mutably inapt knapped inapt napped innately natal innumerable numerable irreconcilable reconcilable irregular regular irregulars regulars irrelevance relevance irrelevant relevant irreparable reparable irresolute resolute irresolution resolution irreverence reverence irreverent reverent irrevocable revocable issue shoe issues shoes issue shoo issued shooed issues shoos italic talc itchier cheer ivy I've jacket jacked Jackie jack jagged jagged jaggy jag Janie Jane jaunty jaunt jazzy jazz jealousy jealous Jeanie gene Jeanie jean jelly gel jellied gelled jellies gels jelly jell jellied jelled jellies jells jemmy gem jemmies gems jenny gen jennies gens jerky jerk Jessie Jess jetty jet Jewess juice Joanie Joan Joey Joe Johnny john jolty jolt jovially jovial jowly jowl joyfully joyful juicy juice Julie joule jumpy jump jungly jungle junkie junk Katie Kate Kelty Celt Kenny ken kepi cape Kirkby curb Kirkby kerb knobbly nobble knotty knot knotty not kopje cop Kuwaiti Kuwait lackey lack lacy lace laddie lad laddies lads lady lade lady laid laic lake lamentably lamentable lancet lanced lanky lank lassie lass laudably laudable laughably laughable lawfully lawful lazy lays lazy laze lazy leys leafy leaf leafy lief leaky leak leaky leek learned learned leggy leg legibly legible lengthy length leniency lenience lenity leant lenity Lent lenity lent Lenny Len leprosy leprous lettuce let's Lewes loose liaise lays liaise laze liaised lazed liaise leys limey lime limeys limes loamy loam lobby lob lobbied lobbed lobbies lobs locket locked lofty loft lolly loll lollies lolls loony loon loonies loons loopy loop Louis lieu Louis loo loyally loyal lucky luck Lucy loose lumpy lump lusty lust lustfully lustful Maddy mad Maggie mag maggoty maggot Mali marl Mamie maim mammy ma'am Mandy manned manfully manful mangy mange maniacally maniacal manually manual many men Maoist moused Margie marge market marked marshy marsh massy mass masterfully masterful matchet matched materially material matey mate Maudie Maud mealie meal mealies meals meanie mean meanies means meanie mien meanies miens measurably measurable meaty meat meaty meet meaty mete medially medial medley medal medleys medals medley meddle medleys meddles memorably memorable menially menial messy mess mighty might mighty mite mindfully mindful mirthfully mirthful Molly moll monarchy monarch monkey monk moody mood moody mooed moony moon morally moral Morley maul mosey mows mossy moss motley mottle mouldy mould Mountie mount mournfully mournful mousy mouse movie move movies moves mucky muck muddies muds muddy mud mufti muffed muggy mug mummy mum mummies mums murky murk mushy mush musky musk musty mussed musty must mutually mutual Nailsea nails nappy knap nappy nap nationally national natty gnat naturally natural naughty nought navy knave navies knaves navy nave navies naves Neddy Ned needfully needful needy knead needy need Nelly knell nervy nerve Netley nettle newsy news nightie knight nightie night nobly noble noisy noise nosey knows nosey nose notably notable notice notes numeracy numerous nutty nut objectionably objectionable obscenity absent observably observable oily oil Omani Oman oozy ooze optionally optional orally aural orally oral orchis auks ordinance ordnance orthodoxy orthodox ostensibly ostensible Ozzie oz packet packed packet pact packets pacts paddy pad paddies pads paederasty pederast paeony paean paeonies paeans paeony peon paeonies peons painfully painful palatably palatable pallid palled pally pal palmy palm palpably palpable palsy palls palsy pawls pansy pans pardonably pardonable parky park parochially parochial parsley parcel party part passably passable pastille pastel pastilles pastels pasty paced pasty paste patchy patch patty pat paunchy paunch pawky pork peaceably peaceable peacefully peaceful peaky peak peaky peek peaky peke peaky pique pearly pearl pearly purl peaty peat peaty Pete pebbly pebble pederasty pederast Peggy peg pellet pelt pellets pelts penny pen pennies pens perceptibly perceptible perceptually perceptual Percy purse perennially perennial perky perk permanency permanence perpetually perpetual perplexity perplexed pettily petal petty pet phoney phone phoneys phones piastre pasta pilau plough plaguy plague plausibly plausible playfully playful pleasurably pleasurable plucky pluck plummy plum plummy plumb plushy plush pocket pocked poesy pose poky poke Polly poll poly poll polys polls pommy pom pommies poms pony pone ponies pones poppet popped poppy pop portly portal possibly possible posy pose potty pot powerfully powerful preferably preferable preternaturally preternatural pricey price primacy primus probably probable professionally professional prosy pros prosy prose proverbially proverbial proxy prox pruriency prurience puffy puff pulley pull pulleys pulls pulpy pulp punctually punctual punnet punt punnets punts puppy pup purposefully purposeful pursy purse pussy puss puttee putt putty putt questionably questionable racket racked racquet racked racy race radially radial ragged ragged rainy rain rainy reign rainy rein randy rand rankly rankle rationally rational ratty rat react racked ready red readies reds ready read really real reasonably reasonable recce wreck recognizably recognizable reedy read reedy reed refit reefed regally regal relevancy relevance rennet rent reputably reputable restfully restful rightfully rightful Rijeka wrecker rocket rocked rocky roc rocky rock Ronnie Ron rookie rook roomy rheum roomy room ropey rope Rosie roes Rosie rose Rosie rows rosy roes rosy rose rosy Rose rosy rows roughly ruffle roundly roundel rowdy rowed royally royal Rudy rood Rudy rude Rudy rued ruefully rueful ruin rune ruins runes rummy rum runny run rushy rush russet rust russets rusts rusty rust sadly saddle salami salaam salty salt Sammy Sam sandy sand sappy sap saucy sauce saucy source scabby scab scaly scale scampi scamp scanty scant scatty scat schmaltzy schmaltz scornfully scornful scoundrelly scoundrel scraggy scrag scrappy scrap scratchy scratch screwy screw scrubby scrub scruffy scruff scummy scum scurfy scurf seamy seam seamy seem secure skewer secured skewered secures skewers sedgy sedge seedy cede seedy seed senate cent senates cents senate scent senates scents senate sent sensibly sensible separably separable serially cereal serially serial servilely servile severally several sexually sexual sexy secs sexy sex shadowy shadow shady shade shaggy shag shaky shake shaky sheikh shamefully shameful shammy sham shammies shams shiny shine shirty shirt shoddy shod showily shoal showy show sienna senna sierra Sarah sitar star sitars stars sketchy sketch slangy slang slaty slate slavey slave slaveys slaves sleepy sleep sleety sleet slimy slime sloppy slop slummy slum slushy slush slyest sliced smelly smell smoky smoke smudgy smudge smugly smuggle smutty smut snaky snake snappy snap sneaky sneak snorty snort snotty snot snowy snow snugly snuggle soapy soap sociably sociable socket socked softie soft solely Seoul solely sole solely soul sonny son sonnies sons sonny sun sonnies suns sooty soot soppy sop sorrowfully sorrowful soulfully soulful speedy speed spicy spice spiky spike spiny spine spirally spiral spitefully spiteful spongy sponge spooky spook spotty spot spunky spunk squally squall squashy squash squeaky squeak stagy stage starchy starch steady stead stealthy stealth steamy steam steely steal steely steel steeply steeple stele steal stele steel stocky stock stodgy stodge stoic stoke stoics stokes stony stone stormy storm straggly straggle streaky streak stripy stripe stroppy strop structurally structural stubbly stubble stubby stub study stud studies studs stuffy stuff stumpy stump sturdy stirred subtly subtle successfully successful suet suit suitably suitable sulky sulk Sunday sunned sunny son sunny sun supernaturally supernatural surface serfs swampy swamp swanky swank Swansea swans sweaty sweat sweetie suite sweetie sweet tabby tab tabbies tabs tackiest taxed tacky tack talkie talk talkie torque tangibly tangible tangy tang tansy tans tardy tarred tasty taste tastefully tasteful tattily tattle tatty tat tawny torn taxi tacks taxi tax tearfully tearful teddy Ted teddies Teds telly tell tellies tells tenet tent tenets tents tennis tense tensity tensed terribly terrible testis tests testy test thankfully thankful thirsty thirst thorny thorn thoughtfully thoughtful throaty throat tidy tide tidies tides tidily tidal tidy tied tightly title tiny tine toady toad toadies toads toady toed toady towed toffee toff tolerably tolerable Tommy Tom Tony tone topi tope touchy touch toughie tough tourney tern tourneys terns tourney turn tourneys turns townee town townees towns Tracy trace transcendency transcendence transiency transience translucency translucence transparency transparence trashy trash treacly treacle treasonably treasonable treatise treats treaty treat trendy trend truculency truculence trumpet trumped trustfully trustful trusty trussed trusty trust truthfully truthful tubby tub tunefully tuneful tunny tonne tunnies tonnes tunny ton tunnies tons tunny tun tunnies tuns turkey Turk tutorially tutorial unacceptably unacceptable unaccountably unaccountable unarguably unarguable unassailably unassailable unavoidably unavoidable unbearably unbearable uncontrollably uncontrollable understandably understandable uneasy unease unequally unequal unfaithfully unfaithful unfashionably unfashionable unfavourably unfavourable unforgettably unforgettable ungratefully ungrateful unhelpfully unhelpful unlawfully unlawful unmemorably unmemorable unnaturally unnatural unpalatably unpalatable unpardonably unpardonable unquestionably unquestionable unready unread unreasonably unreasonable unrecognizably unrecognizable unshakably unshakable unsociably unsociable unspeakably unspeakable unsuccessfully unsuccessful unsuitably unsuitable untidy untied untruthfully untruthful unusually unusual unutterably unutterable uppity upped usefully useful valency valence variably variable varsity vast venally venal vide vied virtually virtual viscountcy viscounts viscountess viscounts volley vol volleys vols volubly voluble wadi wad wadis wads Wallasey Wallace Warley wall warranty warrant washy wash wastefully wasteful watchfully watchful wavy waive wavy wave waxy wax waxy whacks wealthy wealth weedy we'd weedy weed weeny wean weighty wait weighty weight weirdie weird Wendy wend wheezily weasel wheezy wees wheezy wheeze wily while wiliest whilst wily wile wobbly wobble woefully woeful wonderfully wonderful woodiest wouldst woody wood woody would woolly wool wooly wool woolies wools wordy whirred wordy word wormy worm wrathfully wrathful wrongfully wrongful wryly rile Yankee yank yeasty yeast Yemeni Yemen yeti yet youthfully youthful zestfully zestful
John Higgins, Shaftesbury, December 2010.