# shrew vs sire

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### shrew
*noun · IPA /ʃɹuː/ · frequency rank #39,560*
Any of numerous small, mouselike, chiefly nocturnal, mammals of the family Soricidae.

### sire
*noun · IPA /saɪə(ɹ)/ · frequency rank #16,586*
A lord, master, or other person in authority, most commonly used vocatively: formerly in speaking to elders and superiors, later only when addressing a sovereign.

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