below

/bɪˈləʊ/

//bɪˈləʊ// prep

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

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

The verdict

“below” is in the everyday core of English, ranked #943 in English word frequency and used as a preposition.

#943
frequency rank, English
5
letters
6
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Lower in spatial position than.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

below vs bow
60% similar
below vs blog
60% similar
below vs blow
80% similar

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

Key facts for below
PropertyValue
Headwordbelow
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechPreposition
IPA/bɪˈləʊ/
Letters5
Frequency rank#943
Misspellings tracked6
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “below” 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). below 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 below is 5 letters long, classified as a preposition, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /bɪˈləʊ/. Corpus data places it at rank #943 in overall English word frequency, putting it firmly in the everyday core of the language. Wiktionary records 6 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 6 likely wrong-spelling variants for below, with forms such as "bbelow", "beloww", and "belwo". 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, "bow", "blog", "blow", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English bilooghe, equivalent to be- + low. Compare also earlier Middle English alogh, alow, aloȝ, alowe (“below”), benethen (“beneath”), Dutch omlaag (“downwards”). The correct English form is below, spelled B-E-L-O-W.

Definition

  1. 1
    Lower in spatial position than.
  2. 2
    Lower than in value, price, rank, concentration, etc.
  3. 3
    Downstream of.
  4. 4
    South of.
  5. 5
    Unsuitable to the rank or dignity of; beneath.
  6. 6
    Downstage of.

Etymology

From Middle English bilooghe, equivalent to be- + low. Compare also earlier Middle English alogh, alow, aloȝ, alowe (“below”), benethen (“beneath”), Dutch omlaag (“downwards”).

Synonyms

beneathunderunderneathunderdownstreambeneath

Antonyms

aboveoveraboveoverupstream

This word in other languages

bajo(Español)au-dessous de(Français)unter(Deutsch)abaixo de(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: bbelow,beloww,belwo,beolw,bleow,eblow

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of below - 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.

bbelow1beloww1belwo2beolw2bleow2eblow2
Edit distance from "below"

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 "below"?
"below" is spelled B-E-L-O-W. The IPA pronunciation is /bɪˈləʊ/.
What does "below" mean?
As a preposition, "below" means: Lower in spatial position than.
What words are commonly confused with "below"?
"below" is commonly confused with "bow", "blog", "blow". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "below"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "below" is /bɪˈləʊ/. 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 "below"?
From Middle English bilooghe, equivalent to be- + low. Compare also earlier Middle English alogh, alow, aloȝ, alowe (“below”), benethen (“beneath”), Dutch omlaag (“downwards”). 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 “below”

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

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