LinuxvsLuxConfusable pair

Which to use

“Linux” and “Lux” are a confusable German pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.

#6,217
“Linux” frequency rank
#14,354
“Lux” frequency rank
20571
confusion score

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature Linux Lux
Definition der Name eines freien Betriebssystemkernels Einheit der Beleuchtungsstärke

Where the eye mixes Linux and Lux

Muted = shared; highlighted = the visual trap. They share 3 letters in sequence.

5 ch
Linux
3 ch
Lux

Why the eye confuses Linux with Lux

A purely visual mix-up. Linux ([ˈliːnʊks]) and Lux ([lʊks]) are said differently, so reading them aloud is the quickest way to catch the wrong one. On the page they stay close: they differ by 2 letter(s) in length. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 20571, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.

Linux is recorded at frequency rank #6,217, classified as anoun, pronounced [ˈliːnʊks]. Lux is at rank #14,354, tagged as anoun, pronounced [lʊks].

Glosses for this pair are partially populated in our dataset, but the full side-by-side definitions above should still guide you to the right choice.

With a confusion score of 20571, this pair ranks #1,896,164 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.

Orthographic DNA of Linux vs Lux

Shared letters: lux. Private to "Linux": in. Private to "Lux": -.

"Linux" · 5 letters · shape CVCVC  ·  "Lux" · 3 letters · shape CVC

Known mistypes of this pair

  • Linuxilnux · linnux · linuxx · linxu · liunx · llinux · lniux

Frequently Asked Questions

Can "Linux" and "Lux" be used interchangeably?
No. They are said differently ([ˈliːnʊks] versus [lʊks]) and carry different meanings; reading the sentence aloud is usually enough to catch the wrong one.
Frequency check: "Linux" vs "Lux" - which ranks higher?
"Linux" is the more common of the two: it sits at frequency rank #6,217 in our German list, against #14,354 for "Lux". The two are close in frequency, so neither is a safe default; check the meaning rather than guessing.

What to do next

Visual near-miss handled. Browse the word pages or a neighbour when the next look-alike shows up.

  • Full dictionary entry for "Linux" with definition, IPA, and generated misspellings. Word entry
  • Full dictionary entry for "Lux" - compare definitions side by side with the headword page. Word entry
  • This pair ranks #1,896,164 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs in this corpus vintage. Corpus statistics
  • "Linux" and "Lux" also get mixed up with nearby pairs, the highest-scored neighbour is "Lai vs Lux". Nearby pair
  • Recorded mistypes exist for at least one side of this pair, useful when a spell-checker or OCR lands on the wrong form. See mistypes

Confusion rank #1,896,164 of 2,006,359 scored German pairs, corpus vintage 2026-09-03, not spelling advice.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list