# auger

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈɔː.ɡə(ɹ)/ · frequency rank #38,293

## Definitions
1. A carpenter's tool for boring holes longer than those bored by a gimlet.
2. A snake or plumber's snake (plumbing tool).
3. A tool used to bore holes in the ground, e.g. for fence posts
4. A hollow drill used to take core samples of soil, ice, etc. for scientific study.

## Etymology
From a rebracketing of Middle English a nauger (seen as an + auger), from Old English nafugār (“nave drill”, literally “nave spear”), from Proto-West Germanic *nabugaiʀ, from Proto-Germanic *nabōgaizaz. Cognate with Dutch avegaar.

## Easily confused with
- **Ayer** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/auger-vs-ayer)
- **age** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/age-vs-auger)
- **ages** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ages-vs-auger)
- **aged** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/aged-vs-auger)
- **acer** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/acer-vs-auger)
- **agar** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/agar-vs-auger)
- **Ange** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ange-vs-auger)
- **after** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/after-vs-auger)
- **angel** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/angel-vs-auger)
- **anger** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/anger-vs-auger)
- **alter** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/alter-vs-auger)
- **amber** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/amber-vs-auger)
- **Adler** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/adler-vs-auger)
- **Asher** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/asher-vs-auger)
- **alder** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/alder-vs-auger)
- **Abner** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/abner-vs-auger)
- **aster** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/aster-vs-auger)
- **adder** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/adder-vs-auger)
- **Alger** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/alger-vs-auger)
- **abuser** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/abuser-vs-auger)

## Common misspellings (6)
`aguer`, `auegr`, `augerr`, `augger`, `augre`, `uager`

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