lancet

/ˈlɑːn.sɪt/

//ˈlɑːn.sɪt// noun

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

"lancet" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“lancet” has 9 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #26,485. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#26,485
frequency rank, English
2,297
“L” headwords
9
tracked misspellings
15
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - A sharp, pointed, two-edged surgical instrument used in venesection and for opening abscesses etc.

Corpus desk

Index EN-lancet · lancet · English

lancet · rank #26,485 · 9 variants · 15 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #26,485
  • LEN-LONG 6 letters
  • VOW-2 2 vowels
  • CONFUS-MID 15 pairs
  • VAR-MID 9 variants
  • BOOK-MID 2,297
  • PHOTO-FINISH Kwon

Nearest frequency peer: Kwon (-1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “lancet”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “lancet” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

lancet vs lane
67% similar
lancet vs lanes
67% similar
lancet vs Laney
50% similar

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

Key facts for lancet
PropertyValue
Headwordlancet
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈlɑːn.sɪt/
Letters6
Frequency rank#26,485
Misspellings tracked9
Confusable pairs15
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “lancet”

This scale runs from the tiny cluster of words that carry ordinary speech (left) to the long tail of words almost nobody reaches for (right).lancetlands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

The axis is logarithmic, with each marked tick roughly ten times rarer than the last. Same rarity band neighbours include “Kwon” (#26,484), “landfall” (#26,486), “koi” (#26,483). Among 2,297 “L” headwords, “lancet” is #26,485. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 9 spelling variants around lancet (IPA /ˈlɑːn.sɪt/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #26,485 among 2,297 “L” headwords. Wiktionary lists 4 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 9 likely wrong-spelling variants for lancet, with forms such as "alncet", "lacnet", and "lanccet". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 15 confusable-pair relationships, "lane", "lanes", "Laney", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English launcet, from Old French lancete, a diminutive of lance. By surface analysis, lance + -et. The correct English form is lancet, spelled L-A-N-C-E-T.

Definition

  1. 1
    A sharp, pointed, two-edged surgical instrument used in venesection and for opening abscesses etc.
  2. 2
    A small, sterile single-use needle used to draw a drop of blood for testing, as with a glucometer.
  3. 3
    An iron bar used for tapping a melting furnace.
  4. 4
    A high narrow window, terminating in an acutely pointed arch, common in Gothic architecture.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how lancet appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. With a lancet, Håkan drained the slow blue blood from his leg, always fearing to find pus.
  2. He looked away, into the cavernous space emptying of people. Up in the galleries and behind the choir, the wide window lancets were sheets of black.

Etymology

From Middle English launcet, from Old French lancete, a diminutive of lance. By surface analysis, lance + -et.

This word in other languages

lanceta(Español)lancette(Français)Lanzette(Deutsch)lanceta(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • alncet
  • lacnet
  • lanccet
  • lancett
  • lancte
  • lanect
  • lanncet
  • llancet
  • lnacet

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

alncet2lacnet2lanccet1lancett1lancte2lanect2lanncet1llancet1
Edit distance from "lancet"

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 "lancet"?
"lancet" is spelled L-A-N-C-E-T. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈlɑːn.sɪt/.
What does "lancet" mean?
As a noun, "lancet" means: A sharp, pointed, two-edged surgical instrument used in venesection and for opening abscesses etc.
What words are commonly confused with "lancet"?
"lancet" is commonly confused with "lane", "lanes", "Laney". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "lancet"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "lancet" is /ˈlɑːn.sɪt/. 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 "lancet"?
From Middle English launcet, from Old French lancete, a diminutive of lance. By surface analysis, lance + -et. 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.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "lancet", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 6 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

Keenan#26,478issuer#26,476Lolita#26,494longed#26,496

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (9 here; floor ≥5).

hinged9 variantsnimble9 variantsO'Leary9 variantsFourier9 variants

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list