lamp

/ˈlæ̞mp/

//ˈlæ̞mp// noun

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

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

The verdict

“lamp” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #6,586 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#6,586
frequency rank, English
4
letters
6
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A device that generates heat, light or other radiation. Especially an electric light bulb.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

lamp vs LP
0% similar
lamp vs LM
0% similar
lamp vs law
50% similar

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

Key facts for lamp
PropertyValue
Headwordlamp
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈlæ̞mp/
Letters4
Frequency rank#6,586
Misspellings tracked6
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “lamp” 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). lamp 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 lamp is 4 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈlæ̞mp/. Corpus data places it at rank #6,586 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 3 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 lamp, with forms such as "almp", "lammp", and "lampp". 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, "LP", "LM", "law", and more, since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English laumpe, lampe, from Old French lampe (“lamp, light”), from Latin lampas (“torch, lamp, light”), from Ancient Greek λαμπάς (lampás, “torch, lamp, beacon, light, meteor”), from Proto-Indo-European *leh₂p- (“to shine”). Cognate with Lithuan… The correct English form is lamp, spelled L-A-M-P.

Definition

  1. 1
    A device that generates heat, light or other radiation. Especially an electric light bulb.
  2. 2
    A device containing oil, burnt through a wick for illumination; an oil lamp.
  3. 3
    A piece of furniture holding one or more electric light sockets.

Etymology

From Middle English laumpe, lampe, from Old French lampe (“lamp, light”), from Latin lampas (“torch, lamp, light”), from Ancient Greek λαμπάς (lampás, “torch, lamp, beacon, light, meteor”), from Proto-Indo-European *leh₂p- (“to shine”). Cognate with Lithuanian lópė (“light”), Welsh llachar (“bright”). Displaced native Old English lēohtfæt (literally “light-vat”).

This word in other languages

lámpara(Español)lampe(Français)Lampe(Deutsch)luminária(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: almp,lammp,lampp,lapm,llamp,lmap

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

almp2lammp1lampp1lapm2llamp1lmap2
Edit distance from "lamp"

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 "lamp"?
"lamp" is spelled L-A-M-P. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈlæ̞mp/.
What does "lamp" mean?
As a noun, "lamp" means: A device that generates heat, light or other radiation. Especially an electric light bulb.
What words are commonly confused with "lamp"?
"lamp" is commonly confused with "LP", "LM", "law". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "lamp"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "lamp" is /ˈlæ̞mp/. 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 "lamp"?
From Middle English laumpe, lampe, from Old French lampe (“lamp, light”), from Latin lampas (“torch, lamp, light”), from Ancient Greek λαμπάς (lampás, “torch, lamp, beacon, light, meteor”), from Proto-Indo-European *leh₂p- (“to shine”). Cognate wi... 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 “lamp”

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

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