before

Name: before, English Word Data
Creator: Wiktionary
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

/bɪˈfɔː/

//bɪˈfɔː// prep

By PlainSpell Editorial Team · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) · analyzed May 6, 2026

The verdict

“before” is in the everyday core of English, ranked #123 in English word frequency and used as a preposition.

#123
frequency rank, English: 6
letters: 8
tracked misspellings: 5
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Earlier than (in time).

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

before vs bore

67% similar

before vs beware

67% similar

before vs Buford

50% similar

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

Key facts for before
Property	Value
Headword	before
Language	English
Part of speech	Preposition
IPA	/bɪˈfɔː/
Letters	6
Frequency rank	#123
Misspellings tracked	8
Confusable pairs	5
Source	Wiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “before” 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). before lands here:

#123

#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 before is 6 letters long, classified as a preposition, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /bɪˈfɔː/. Corpus data places it at rank #123 in overall English word frequency, putting it firmly in the everyday core of the language. Wiktionary records 7 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 8 likely wrong-spelling variants for before, with forms such as "bbefore", "beffore", and "befoer". 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 5 confusable-pair relationships, "bore", "beware", "Buford", and more, since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₁ep-der. Proto-Indo-European *h₁epsder. Proto-Indo-European *h₁epider. Proto-Indo-European *h₁pi Proto-Germanic *bider. Proto-Germanic *bi- Proto-West Germanic *bi- Old English be- Old English foran Old English beforan M… The correct English form is before, spelled B-E-F-O-R-E.

Definition

1
Earlier than (in time).
2
In front of in space.
3
In the presence of.
4
Under consideration, judgment, authority of (someone).
5
In store for, in the future of (someone).
6
In front of, according to a formal system of ordering items.
7
At a higher or greater position than, in a ranking.

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₁ep-der. Proto-Indo-European *h₁epsder. Proto-Indo-European *h₁epider. Proto-Indo-European *h₁pi Proto-Germanic *bider. Proto-Germanic *bi- Proto-West Germanic *bi- Old English be- Old English foran Old English beforan Middle English bifore English before Inherited from Middle English before /bifore, from Old English beforan, from be- + foran (“before”), from fore, from Proto-Germanic *furai, from Proto-Indo-European *per- (“front”). Cognate with Saterland Frisian befoar (“before”), German Low German bevör (“before”), German bevor (“before”).

This word in other languages

ante(Español)avant(Français)vor(Deutsch)antes de(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: bbefore,beffore,befoer,beforre,befroe,beofre,bfeore,ebfore

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of before - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

Edit distance from "before"

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 "before"?

"before" is spelled B-E-F-O-R-E. The IPA pronunciation is /bɪˈfɔː/.

What does "before" mean?

As a preposition, "before" means: Earlier than (in time).

What words are commonly confused with "before"?

"before" is commonly confused with "bore", "beware", "Buford". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.

How do you pronounce "before"?

The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "before" is /bɪˈfɔː/. 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 "before"?

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 “before”

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

The one correct English spelling is B-E-F-O-R-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
Say it as /bɪˈfɔː/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
Don't mix it up with “bore” - see the side-by-side comparison. before vs bore
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.