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PlainSpell

Loch or lock?

loch is a noun meaning “A lake”; lock is a noun meaning “Something used for fastening, which can only be opened with a key or combination”. In written English (wordfreq, 2021 data) lock is about 11 times as common as loch.

lochorlock

What is the difference between loch and lock?

lochlock
Part of speechnounnoun, verb, suffix
Meaning

IrelandScotlandA lake

IrelandScotlandA bay or arm of the sea

Something used for fastening, which can only be opened with a key or combination

A mutex or other token restricting access to a resource

To become fastened in place

Examplenone recordedIf you put the brakes on too hard, the wheels will lock
Formslochslocks
Pronunciation/lɔx/ /lɒk/ /lɒx//lɒk/ /lɑk/
In writing2.8 times per million words32 times per million words

Sources: loch and lock in the English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0); written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).

Every current meaning of loch and lock

loch

  1. 1

    noun IrelandScotlandA lake

  2. 2

    noun Alternative form of lohoch (“medicine taken by licking”)

  3. 3

    noun IrelandScotlandA bay or arm of the sea

lock

  1. 1

    noun Something used for fastening, which can only be opened with a key or combination

  2. 2

    verb To become fastened in place

    If you put the brakes on too hard, the wheels will lock

  3. 3

    noun A tuft or length of hair, wool, etc

  4. 4

    noun A single dreadlock

  5. 5

    verb To form a dreadlock

  6. 6

    suffix Action or proceeding, practice, ritual

  7. 7

    noun A mutex or other token restricting access to a resource

  8. 8

    verb To fasten with a lock

    Remember to lock the door when you leave

Source: the English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0); obsolete, archaic, dialect and rare senses left out.

Which is more common, loch or lock?

loch appears 2.8 times per million words; lock 32 times per million words.

Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).

The words