# mara vs marl

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### 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.

### marl
*noun · IPA /mɑːl/ · frequency rank #49,479*
A mixed earthy substance, consisting of carbonate of lime, clay, and possibly sand, in very variable proportions, and accordingly designated as calcareous, clayey, or sandy.

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