claw

/klɔ/

//klɔ// noun

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

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

The verdict

“claw” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #13,116 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#13,116
frequency rank, English
4
letters
6
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A curved, pointed, horny projection on each digit of the foot of a mammal, reptile, or bird.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

claw vs CW
0% similar
claw vs cow
50% similar
claw vs CPA
0% similar

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

Key facts for claw
PropertyValue
Headwordclaw
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/klɔ/
Letters4
Frequency rank#13,116
Misspellings tracked6
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “claw” 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). claw 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 claw is 4 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /klɔ/. Corpus data places it at rank #13,116 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 8 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 claw, with forms such as "calw", "cclaw", and "claww". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "CW", "cow", "CPA", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English clawe, from Old English clawu, from Proto-Germanic *klawō. Compare West Frisian klau, Dutch klauw, German Klaue, Danish klo, Norwegian klo, and Swedish klo. The correct English form is claw, spelled C-L-A-W.

Definition

  1. 1
    A curved, pointed, horny projection on each digit of the foot of a mammal, reptile, or bird.
  2. 2
    A foot equipped with such.
  3. 3
    The pincer (chela) of a crustacean or other arthropod.
  4. 4
    A mechanical device resembling a claw, used for gripping or lifting.
  5. 5
    A human fingernail, particularly one extending well beyond the fingertip.
  6. 6
    A slender appendage or process, formed like a claw, such as the base of petals of the pink.
  7. 7
    The act of catching a ball overhand.
  8. 8
    A tree with one internal vertex and three leaves.

Etymology

From Middle English clawe, from Old English clawu, from Proto-Germanic *klawō. Compare West Frisian klau, Dutch klauw, German Klaue, Danish klo, Norwegian klo, and Swedish klo.

This word in other languages

garra(Español)griffe(Français)Klaue(Deutsch)garra(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: calw,cclaw,claww,cllaw,clwa,lcaw

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of claw - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

calw2cclaw1claww1cllaw1clwa2lcaw2
Edit distance from "claw"

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 "claw"?
"claw" is spelled C-L-A-W. The IPA pronunciation is /klɔ/.
What does "claw" mean?
As a noun, "claw" means: A curved, pointed, horny projection on each digit of the foot of a mammal, reptile, or bird.
What words are commonly confused with "claw"?
"claw" is commonly confused with "CW", "cow", "CPA". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "claw"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "claw" is /klɔ/. 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 "claw"?
From Middle English clawe, from Old English clawu, from Proto-Germanic *klawō. Compare West Frisian klau, Dutch klauw, German Klaue, Danish klo, Norwegian klo, and Swedish klo. 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 “claw”

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

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