# salvage vs salve

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### salvage
*noun · IPA /ˈsælvɪd͡ʒ/ · frequency rank #12,133*
The rescue of a ship, its crew and passengers or its cargo from a hazardous situation.

### salve
*noun · IPA /sɑːv/ · frequency rank #36,747*
An ointment, cream, or balm with soothing, healing, or calming effects.

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