bevel

/ˈbɛv.əl/

//ˈbɛv.əl// noun

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

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

The verdict

“bevel” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #46,337 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#46,337
frequency rank, English
5
letters
7
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - An edge that is canted, one that is not a 90-degree angle; a chamfer.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

bevel vs Biel
40% similar
bevel vs bevy
60% similar
bevel vs bowel
60% similar

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

Key facts for bevel
PropertyValue
Headwordbevel
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈbɛv.əl/
Letters5
Frequency rank#46,337
Misspellings tracked7
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “bevel” 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). bevel 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 bevel is 5 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈbɛv.əl/. Corpus data places it at rank #46,337 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 7 likely wrong-spelling variants for bevel, with forms such as "bbevel", "beevl", and "bevell". 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, "Biel", "bevy", "bowel", and more, since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English *bevel, from Anglo-Norman *baivel (whence obsolete French beauveau) a diminutive of Old French baïf (“open-mouthed”), perhaps from baer (“to gape”), from Medieval Latin *batāre (“to gape, yawn, be open”), probably of imitative origin. If… The correct English form is bevel, spelled B-E-V-E-L.

Definition

  1. 1
    An edge that is canted, one that is not a 90-degree angle; a chamfer.
  2. 2
    An instrument consisting of two rules or arms, jointed together at one end, and opening to any angle, for adjusting the surfaces of work to the same or a given inclination; a bevel square.
  3. 3
    A die used for cheating, having some sides slightly rounded instead of flat.

Etymology

From Middle English *bevel, from Anglo-Norman *baivel (whence obsolete French beauveau) a diminutive of Old French baïf (“open-mouthed”), perhaps from baer (“to gape”), from Medieval Latin *batāre (“to gape, yawn, be open”), probably of imitative origin. If so, then related to Italian badare.

This word in other languages

bisel(Español)biseau(Français)Schräge(Deutsch)bisel(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: bbevel,beevl,bevell,bevle,bevvel,bveel,ebvel

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

bbevel1beevl2bevell1bevle2bevvel1bveel2ebvel2
Edit distance from "bevel"

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 "bevel"?
"bevel" is spelled B-E-V-E-L. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈbɛv.əl/.
What does "bevel" mean?
As a noun, "bevel" means: An edge that is canted, one that is not a 90-degree angle; a chamfer.
What words are commonly confused with "bevel"?
"bevel" is commonly confused with "Biel", "bevy", "bowel". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "bevel"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "bevel" is /ˈbɛv.əl/. 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 "bevel"?
From Middle English *bevel, from Anglo-Norman *baivel (whence obsolete French beauveau) a diminutive of Old French baïf (“open-mouthed”), perhaps from baer (“to gape”), from Medieval Latin *batāre (“to gape, yawn, be open”), probably of imitative ... 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 “bevel”

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

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