altar

/ˈɒl.tə/

//ˈɒl.tə// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"altar" is a 5-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“altar” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #9,562 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#9,562
frequency rank, English
5
letters
7
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A table or similar flat-topped structure used for religious rites.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

altar vs ATA
0% similar
altar vs ATR
0% similar
altar vs alto
60% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for altar
PropertyValue
Headwordaltar
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈɒl.tə/
Letters5
Frequency rank#9,562
Misspellings tracked7
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “altar” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). altar lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for altar is 5 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈɒl.tə/. Corpus data places it at rank #9,562 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 3 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 7 likely wrong-spelling variants for altar, with forms such as "alatr", "alltar", and "altarr". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "ATA", "ATR", "alto", and more, since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: Inherited from Middle English auter, inherited from Old English altar and borrowed from Old French auter, both derived from Latin altāre, probably related to adolere (“burn”); thus "burning place", influenced by altus (“high”). Displaced native Middle Engli… The correct English form is altar, spelled A-L-T-A-R.

Definition

  1. 1
    A table or similar flat-topped structure used for religious rites.
  2. 2
    A raised area around an altar in a church; the sanctuary.
  3. 3
    Any (real or notional) place where something is worshipped or sacrificed to.

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English auter, inherited from Old English altar and borrowed from Old French auter, both derived from Latin altāre, probably related to adolere (“burn”); thus "burning place", influenced by altus (“high”). Displaced native Middle English wēved.

This word in other languages

altar(Español)autel(Français)Altar(Deutsch)altar(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: alatr,alltar,altarr,altra,alttar,atlar,latar

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of altar - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

alatr2alltar1altarr1altra2alttar1atlar2latar2
Edit distance from "altar"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "altar"?
"altar" is spelled A-L-T-A-R. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈɒl.tə/.
What does "altar" mean?
As a noun, "altar" means: A table or similar flat-topped structure used for religious rites.
What words are commonly confused with "altar"?
"altar" is commonly confused with "ATA", "ATR", "alto". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "altar"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "altar" is /ˈɒl.tə/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "altar"?
Inherited from Middle English auter, inherited from Old English altar and borrowed from Old French auter, both derived from Latin altāre, probably related to adolere (“burn”); thus "burning place", influenced by altus (“high”). Displaced native Mi... See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “altar”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is A-L-T-A-R - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈɒl.tə/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “ATA” - see the side-by-side comparison. altar vs ATA
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list