algovsalthoWhat's the difference?

Quick tell: algo is a noun, altho is a conjunction, so they fill different roles in a sentence.

Which to use

“algo” is a noun and “altho” is a conjunction - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.

#49,758
“algo” frequency rank
#44,055
“altho” frequency rank
93813
confusion score

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature algo altho
Definition Clipping of algorithm. Alternative spelling of although.

Where the spellings diverge

Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set algo and altho apart are highlighted. They share 3 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.

4 ch
algo
5 ch
altho

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

Our dataset has no pronunciation recorded for both members, so the reliable separator here is grammatical: algo is anoun and althoaconjunction. On the page they differ by 1 letter(s) in length. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 93813, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.

algo is recorded at frequency rank #49,758, classified as anoun, pronounced /ˈæl.ɡoʊ̯/. altho is at rank #44,055, tagged as aconj.

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 93813, this pair ranks #1,690 of 530,003 scored English confusable pairs - among the most confusable pairs.

Orthographic DNA of algo vs altho

Shared letters: alo. Private to "algo": g. Private to "altho": ht.

"algo" · 4 letters · shape VCCV  ·  "altho" · 5 letters · shape VCCCV

Known mistypes of this pair

  • algoaglo · alggo · allgo · alog · lago
  • althoalhto · alltho · althho · altoh · alttho · atlho · latho

Frequency comparison

algo#49,758
altho#44,055

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list

Frequently Asked Questions

Can "algo" and "altho" be used interchangeably?
No - they are not even the same part of speech. "algo" is a noun and "altho" a conjunction, so a sentence built for one is usually ungrammatical with the other.
Which is more common, "algo" or "altho"?
"altho" is the more common of the two: it sits at frequency rank #44,055 in our English list, against #49,758 for "algo". The two are close in frequency, so neither is a safe default; check the meaning rather than guessing.

Remembering algo vs altho

The fastest way to pick the right one every time.

  • Check the role first: if you need a noun, it's “algo”; for a conjunction, it's “altho”.
  • See each word in full, definition, IPA, etymology and its other confusables. Full “algo” entry
  • Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list