# fuel

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈfjuːəl/ · frequency rank #1,942

## Definitions
1. Substance consumed to provide energy through combustion, or through chemical or nuclear reaction.
2. Substance that provides nourishment for a living organism; food.
3. Something that stimulates, encourages or maintains an action.

## Etymology
From Middle English fuayle, from Old French fouaille, feuaille (“firewood, kindling”), from feu (“fire”), from Late Latin focus (“fire”), from Latin focus (“hearth”), whence English focus. Cognate with Spanish fuego (“fire”), and Portuguese fogo (“fire”).

## Easily confused with
- **fun** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fuel-vs-fun)
- **fur** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fuel-vs-fur)
- **fut** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fuel-vs-fut)
- **full** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fuel-vs-full)
- **fund** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fuel-vs-fund)
- **fury** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fuel-vs-fury)
- **funk** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fuel-vs-funk)
- **fuse** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fuel-vs-fuse)
- **fuss** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fuel-vs-fuss)
- **fuji** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fuel-vs-fuji)
- **fuzz** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fuel-vs-fuzz)
- **furs** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fuel-vs-furs)
- **fung** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fuel-vs-fung)
- **fume** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fuel-vs-fume)
- **fully** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fuel-vs-fully)
- **fused** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fuel-vs-fused)
- **fumes** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fuel-vs-fumes)
- **fuses** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fuel-vs-fuses)
- **fueled** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fuel-vs-fueled)
- **funnel** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fuel-vs-funnel)

## Common misspellings (5)
`feul`, `ffuel`, `fuell`, `fule`, `ufel`

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