# lather

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈlɑː.ðə/ · frequency rank #40,777

## Definitions
1. The foam made by rapidly stirring soap and water.
2. Foam from profuse sweating, as of a horse.
3. A state of agitation.

## Etymology
From Middle English lather, from Old English lēaþor (“a kind of nitre used for soap, soda”), from Proto-West Germanic *lauþr, from Proto-Germanic *lauþrą (“that which is used for washing, soap”), from Proto-Indo-European *lówh₃trom (“that which is used for washing”), from *lewh₃-, *lowh₃- (“to wash, bathe”). Cognate with Swedish lödder (“lather, foam, froth, soap”), Icelandic löður (“foam, froth, a kind of niter used for soap”), Old Irish loathar (“wash-basin”), Ancient Greek λουτρόν (loutrón, “a bath, wash-room”), Latin lavō (“I wash”), Albanian laj (“I wash”), Ancient Greek λούω (loúō). More at lye.

## Easily confused with
- **layer** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lather-vs-layer)
- **liter** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lather-vs-liter)
- **latte** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lather-vs-latte)
- **lazer** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lather-vs-lazer)
- **laver** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lather-vs-laver)
- **letter** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lather-vs-letter)
- **lawyer** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lather-vs-lawyer)
- **latter** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lather-vs-latter)
- **Luther** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lather-vs-luther)
- **litter** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lather-vs-litter)
- **loathe** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lather-vs-loathe)
- **Lawler** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lather-vs-lawler)
- **lauder** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lather-vs-lauder)
- **Latour** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lather-vs-latour)
- **leather** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lather-vs-leather)
- **latimer** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lather-vs-latimer)
- **loathed** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lather-vs-loathed)
- **leathery** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lather-vs-leathery)
- **late** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/late-vs-lather)
- **later** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/later-vs-lather)

## Common misspellings (9)
`alther`, `lahter`, `latehr`, `latherr`, `lathher`, `lathre`, `latther`, `llather`, `ltaher`

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