# root vs rout

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### root
*noun · IPA /ɹuːt/ · frequency rank #3,583*
The part of a plant, generally underground, that anchors and supports the plant body, absorbs and stores water and nutrients, and in some plants is able to perform vegetative reproduction.

### rout
*noun · IPA /ɹaʊt/ · frequency rank #25,914*
A group of people; a crowd, a throng, a troop; in particular (archaic), a group of people accompanying or travelling with someone.

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