cure

/kjɔː(r)/

//kjɔː(r)// noun

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

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

The verdict

“cure” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #4,149 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#4,149
frequency rank, English
4
letters
5
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A method, device or medication that restores good health.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

cure vs cut
50% similar
cure vs cuz
50% similar
cure vs cute
75% similar

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

Key facts for cure
PropertyValue
Headwordcure
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/kjɔː(r)/
Letters4
Frequency rank#4,149
Misspellings tracked5
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “cure” 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). cure 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 cure is 4 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /kjɔː(r)/. Corpus data places it at rank #4,149 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 10 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 5 likely wrong-spelling variants for cure, with forms such as "ccure", "crue", and "cuer". 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, "cut", "cuz", "cute", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English cure, borrowed from Old French cure (“care, cure, healing, cure of souls”), from Latin cura (“care, medical attendance, cure”). Displaced native Old English hǣlu, but survived as heal. The correct English form is cure, spelled C-U-R-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    A method, device or medication that restores good health.
  2. 2
    An act of healing or state of being healed; restoration to health after a disease, or to soundness after injury.
  3. 3
    A solution to a problem.
  4. 4
    A process of preservation, as by smoking.
  5. 5
    Cured fish.
  6. 6
    A process of solidification or gelling.
  7. 7
    A process whereby a material is caused to form permanent molecular linkages by exposure to chemicals, heat, pressure or weathering.
  8. 8
    Care, heed, or attention.
  9. 9
    Spiritual charge; care of soul; the office of a parish priest or of a curate.
  10. 10
    That which is committed to the charge of a parish priest or of a curate.

Etymology

From Middle English cure, borrowed from Old French cure (“care, cure, healing, cure of souls”), from Latin cura (“care, medical attendance, cure”). Displaced native Old English hǣlu, but survived as heal.

This word in other languages

cura(Español)traitement(Français)Heilung(Deutsch)cura(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: ccure,crue,cuer,curre,ucre

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

ccure1crue2cuer2curre1ucre2
Edit distance from "cure"

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 "cure"?
"cure" is spelled C-U-R-E. The IPA pronunciation is /kjɔː(r)/.
What does "cure" mean?
As a noun, "cure" means: A method, device or medication that restores good health.
What words are commonly confused with "cure"?
"cure" is commonly confused with "cut", "cuz", "cute". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "cure"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "cure" is /kjɔː(r)/. 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 "cure"?
From Middle English cure, borrowed from Old French cure (“care, cure, healing, cure of souls”), from Latin cura (“care, medical attendance, cure”). Displaced native Old English hǣlu, but survived as heal. 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 “cure”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is C-U-R-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /kjɔː(r)/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “cut” - see the side-by-side comparison. cure vs cut
  • 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