# label

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈleɪ.bəl/ · frequency rank #3,436

## Definitions
1. A small ticket or sign giving information about something to which it is attached or intended to be attached.
2. A name given to something or someone to categorise them as part of a particular social group.
3. A company that sells records.
4. A user-defined alias for a numerical designation, the reverse of an enumeration.
5. A named place in source code that can be jumped to using a GOTO or equivalent construct.
6. A charge resembling the strap crossing the horse’s chest from which pendants are hung.
7. A tassel.
8. A small strip, especially of paper or parchment (or of some material attached to parchment to carry the seal), but also of iron, brass, land, etc.
9. A piece of writing added to something, such as a codicil appended to a will.
10. A brass rule with sights, formerly used with a circumferentor to take altitudes.
11. The projecting moulding by the sides, and over the tops, of openings in mediaeval architecture.
12. In mediaeval and later art, a representation of a band or scroll containing an inscription.
13. A non-interactive control or widget displaying text, often used to describe the purpose of another control.

## Etymology
From Middle English label (“narrow band, strip of cloth”), from Old French label, lambel (Modern French lambeau), from Frankish *lappā (“torn piece of cloth”), from Proto-Germanic *lappǭ, *lappô (“cloth stuff, rag, scraps, flap, dewlap, lobe, rabbit ear”), from Proto-Indo-European *leb- (“blade”). Cognate with Old High German lappa (“rag, piece of cloth”), Old English læppa (“skirt, flap of a garment”). More at lap.

## Easily confused with
- **lel** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/label-vs-lel)
- **late** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/label-vs-late)
- **lake** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/label-vs-lake)
- **lane** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/label-vs-lane)
- **lame** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/label-vs-lame)
- **lace** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/label-vs-lace)
- **lobe** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/label-vs-lobe)
- **lube** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/label-vs-lube)
- **later** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/label-vs-later)
- **level** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/label-vs-level)
- **labor** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/label-vs-labor)
- **layer** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/label-vs-layer)
- **laser** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/label-vs-laser)
- **lakes** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/label-vs-lakes)
- **lanes** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/label-vs-lanes)
- **laden** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/label-vs-laden)
- **latex** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/label-vs-latex)
- **libel** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/label-vs-libel)
- **laced** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/label-vs-laced)
- **Lacey** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/label-vs-lacey)

## Common misspellings (7)
`albel`, `labbel`, `labell`, `lable`, `laebl`, `lbael`, `llabel`

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