Which to use
“lex” is a verb and “lu” is a noun - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.
- #14,983
- “lex” frequency rank
- #12,273
- “lu” frequency rank
- 27256
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | lex | lu |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | To perform lexical analysis; to convert a character stream to a token stream as a preliminary to parsing. | Archaic form of loo (“card game”). |
Where the eye mixes lex and lu
Muted = shared; highlighted = the visual trap. They share 1 letter in sequence.
Why the eye confuses lex with lu
These two trip readers on the page rather than in the ear: lex is /lɛks/ while lu is /luː/. Spoken aloud the problem disappears. In writing it persists, because they differ by 1 letter(s) in length, and the parts of speech differ too (verb vs noun), which is usually the fastest check. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 27256, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
lex is recorded at frequency rank #14,983, classified as averb, pronounced /lɛks/. lu is at rank #12,273, tagged as anoun, pronounced /luː/.
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 27256, this pair ranks #380,358 of 530,003 scored English confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.
Orthographic DNA of lex vs lu
Shared letters: l. Private to "lex": ex. Private to "lu": u.
"lex" · 3 letters · shape CVC · "lu" · 2 letters · shape CV
Frequently Asked Questions
Do "lex" and "lu" mean the same thing in a sentence?
In ordinary English text, does "lex" or "lu" show up more?
What to do next
Pronunciation already separates them, if the page still looks alike, the dictionary links below settle it.
- Full dictionary entry for "lex" with definition, IPA, and generated misspellings. Word entry
- Full dictionary entry for "lu" - compare definitions side by side with the headword page. Word entry
- This pair ranks #380,358 of 530,003 scored English confusable pairs in this corpus vintage. Corpus statistics
- "lex" and "lu" also get mixed up with nearby pairs, the highest-scored neighbour is "lex vs LSC". Nearby pair
Confusion rank #380,358 of 530,003 scored English pairs, corpus vintage 2026-09-03, not spelling advice.