# mara vs mat

> 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.

### mat
*noun · IPA /mæt/ · frequency rank #9,065*
A flat piece of coarse material used for wiping one’s feet, or as a decorative or protective floor covering.

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