# laurel

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈlɒɹ.əl/ · frequency rank #12,454

## Definitions
1. An evergreen shrub of species Laurus nobilis, having aromatic leaves of a lanceolate shape, with clusters of small, yellowish white flowers in their axils.
2. A crown of laurel.
3. Honor, distinction, fame.
4. Any plant of the family Lauraceae.
5. Any of various plants of other families that resemble laurels.
6. An English gold coin made in 1619, and so called because the king's head on it was crowned with laurel.

## Etymology
Inherited from Middle English laurer, laurel, from Anglo-Norman lorer, from Old French lorier, from Vulgar Latin *laurārius, from Latin laurus (“laurel”). Doublet of loureiro.

## Easily confused with
- **lure** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/laurel-vs-lure)
- **Lauren** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/laurel-vs-lauren)
- **Laurie** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/laurel-vs-laurie)
- **Lauryn** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/laurel-vs-lauryn)
- **Laurent** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/laurel-vs-laurent)
- **laurels** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/laurel-vs-laurels)
- **Laurier** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/laurel-vs-laurier)
- **label** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/label-vs-laurel)
- **Laura** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/laura-vs-laurel)
- **Laude** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/laude-vs-laurel)
- **lapel** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lapel-vs-laurel)
- **lauder** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lauder-vs-laurel)

## Common misspellings (8)
`alurel`, `laruel`, `lauerl`, `laurell`, `laurle`, `laurrel`, `llaurel`, `luarel`

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