# mala vs mara

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### mala
*noun · IPA /ˈmeɪ.lə/ · frequency rank #34,178*
A single lobe of an insect's maxilla.

### mara
*noun · IPA /ˈmɑːɹə/ · frequency rank #16,072*
A nightmare; a spectre or wraith-like creature in Germanic and particularly Scandinavian folklore; a female demon who torments people in sleep by crouching on their chests or stomachs, or by causing terrifying visions.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/vs/mala-vs-mara