# burke

> English word · Verb · IPA /bɜː(ɹ)k/ · frequency rank #8,645

## Definitions
1. To murder by suffocation.
2. To murder for the same purpose as Burke, to kill in order to have a body to sell to anatomists, surgeons, etc.
3. To smother; to conceal, hush up, suppress.

## Etymology
Eponymous, from William Burke.

## Easily confused with
- **burn** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/burke-vs-burn)
- **bury** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/burke-vs-bury)
- **Burt** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/burke-vs-burt)
- **burr** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/burke-vs-burr)
- **burp** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/burke-vs-burp)
- **bute** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/burke-vs-bute)
- **burns** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/burke-vs-burns)
- **burst** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/burke-vs-burst)
- **burnt** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/burke-vs-burnt)
- **Burma** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/burke-vs-burma)
- **Byrne** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/burke-vs-byrne)
- **butte** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/burke-vs-butte)
- **burly** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/burke-vs-burly)
- **bursa** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/burke-vs-bursa)
- **burqa** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/burke-vs-burqa)
- **burned** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/burke-vs-burned)
- **burner** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/burke-vs-burner)
- **burley** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/burke-vs-burley)
- **burnet** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/burke-vs-burnet)
- **Burney** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/burke-vs-burney)

## Common misspellings (7)
`bburke`, `bruke`, `bukre`, `burek`, `burkke`, `burrke`, `ubrke`

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