Baal

/ˈbeɪəl/

//ˈbeɪəl// name

"baal" is a 4-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“Baal” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #33,526 in English word frequency and used as a proper noun.

#33,526
frequency rank, English
4
letters
3
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A storm and fertility god of the Phoenician and Canaanite pantheons, reckoned as chief of the gods by the 1st millennium BC.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

Baal vs BL
25% similar
Baal vs bad
25% similar
Baal vs bar
25% similar

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

Key facts for Baal
PropertyValue
HeadwordBaal
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechProper noun
IPA/ˈbeɪəl/
Letters4
Frequency rank#33,526
Misspellings tracked3
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “Baal” 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). Baal 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 Baal is 4 letters long, classified as a proper noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈbeɪəl/. Corpus data places it at rank #33,526 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 3 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 3 likely wrong-spelling variants for Baal, with forms such as "abal", "baall", and "bbaal". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "BL", "bad", "bar", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Late Latin Baal (as in the Vulgate) and Ancient Greek Βάαλ (Báal); from Hebrew בַּעַל (bá`al, “lord, husband, owner”), Phoenician 𐤁𐤏𐤋 (bʿl, “lord, master, owner”) and Ugaritic 𐎁𐎓𐎍 (baʿlu, “lord, owner”), all from Proto-Semitic *baʿl- (“owner, lor… The correct English form is Baal, spelled B-A-A-L.

Definition

  1. 1
    A storm and fertility god of the Phoenician and Canaanite pantheons, reckoned as chief of the gods by the 1st millennium BC.
  2. 2
    Various other Baalim, understood as distinct patron gods or as local patron aspects the great god Baal.
  3. 3
    One of the demons or fallen angels of Satan.

Etymology

From Late Latin Baal (as in the Vulgate) and Ancient Greek Βάαλ (Báal); from Hebrew בַּעַל (bá`al, “lord, husband, owner”), Phoenician 𐤁𐤏𐤋 (bʿl, “lord, master, owner”) and Ugaritic 𐎁𐎓𐎍 (baʿlu, “lord, owner”), all from Proto-Semitic *baʿl- (“owner, lord, husband”).

This word in other languages

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: abal,baall,bbaal

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of Baal - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

abal2baall1bbaal1
Edit distance from "Baal"

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 "Baal"?
"Baal" is spelled B-A-A-L. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈbeɪəl/.
What does "Baal" mean?
As a proper noun, "Baal" means: A storm and fertility god of the Phoenician and Canaanite pantheons, reckoned as chief of the gods by the 1st millennium BC.
What words are commonly confused with "Baal"?
"Baal" is commonly confused with "BL", "bad", "bar". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "Baal"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "Baal" is /ˈbeɪəl/. 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 "Baal"?
From Late Latin Baal (as in the Vulgate) and Ancient Greek Βάαλ (Báal); from Hebrew בַּעַל (bá`al, “lord, husband, owner”), Phoenician 𐤁𐤏𐤋 (bʿl, “lord, master, owner”) and Ugaritic 𐎁𐎓𐎍 (baʿlu, “lord, owner”), all from Proto-Semitic *baʿl- (“... 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 “Baal”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is B-A-A-L - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈbeɪəl/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “BL” - see the side-by-side comparison. Baal vs BL
  • 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