lariat

/ˈlæɹɪət/

//ˈlæɹɪət// noun

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

The verdict

“lariat” is uncommon English (frequency #68,380 among 2,297 “L” headwords), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#68,380
frequency rank, English
2,297
“L” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - A lasso.

Corpus desk

Index EN-lariat · lariat · English

lariat · rank #68,380 · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-RARE #68,380
  • LEN-LONG 6 letters
  • VOW-3 3 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-MID 2,297
  • PHOTO-FINISH lamprey

Nearest frequency peer: lamprey (-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.

Long-tail ranks near “lariat”

Sparse band: bars invert rank so rarer forms read shorter

corpus weight

What this shows Long-tail view: where “lariat” sits against similarly uncommon English ranks.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for lariat
PropertyValue
Headwordlariat
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈlæɹɪət/
Letters6
Frequency rank#68,380
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “lariat” in English

Word frequency stretches from the small set of words we reach for constantly (left) out to the long tail barely used once in a while (right).lariatfalls in this rarity band:

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

The axis is logarithmic, with each marked tick roughly ten times rarer than the last. Rare peers in the same band: “lamprey” (#68,379), “layperson” (#68,381), “lameness” (#68,378). Among 2,297 “L” headwords, “lariat” is #68,380. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

lariat is uncommon English at frequency #68,380 among 2,297 “L” headwords, classed as anoun, transcribed /ˈlæɹɪət/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 3 senses are on record.

lariat doesn't appear in our generated misspelling index, a straightforward case of a spelling with little room for common typos. We don't track a confusable pairing for this entry, a sign it's visually distinctive enough not to be mixed up with another word.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Spanish la reata (“the lasso”). The correct English form is lariat, spelled L-A-R-I-A-T.

Definition

  1. 1
    A lasso.
  2. 2
    A tether.
  3. 3
    An attack where the wrestler runs towards an opponent, wraps his arm around their upper chest and neck and then forces them to the ground.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. Not so circumscribed in expedient for the reduction of surplus wealth were those lairds of the lariat who had womenfolk to their name.
  2. I'm putting on my riding hat / Got my boots and my lariat / Ooh hoo I'm dressing up in style

Etymology

From Spanish la reata (“the lasso”).

Synonyms

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 "lariat"?
"lariat" is spelled L-A-R-I-A-T. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈlæɹɪət/.
What does "lariat" mean?
As a noun, "lariat" means: A lasso.
How do you pronounce "lariat"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "lariat" is /ˈlæɹɪət/. 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 "lariat"?
From Spanish la reata (“the lasso”). 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 "lariat", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

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

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list