lavabo
/ləˈveɪbəʊ/
"lavabo" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“lavabo” is outside the top-ranked English vocabulary, used as a noun - the kind of word writers most often double-check.
- Unranked
- below top-frequency English
- 6
- letters
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A ritual involving the washing of one's hands at a church's offertory before handling the Eucharist.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | lavabo |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Noun |
| IPA | /ləˈveɪbəʊ/ |
| Letters | 6 |
| Misspellings tracked | 0 |
| Confusable pairs | 0 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Where “lavabo” sits in English frequency
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
The English entry for lavabo is 6 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ləˈveɪbəʊ/. It sits outside the most-frequent rank tiers, which is often why uncommon words generate more spelling variants per reader. Wiktionary records 5 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.
We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for lavabo, since its letter pattern doesn't lend itself to common typo substitutions. This headword has no recorded confusable partner, since no other headword is close enough in sound or shape to pair with it.
Etymologically, the entry records: From the Christian ritual, which was traditionally accompanied in Catholicism by a recitation of Psalm 25:6 (Psalm 26:6, in the Hebrew and in most modern translations) which in Latin begins with the word lavābō (“I will wash”). The sense of "room with a toi… The correct English form is lavabo, spelled L-A-V-A-B-O.
Definition
- 1A ritual involving the washing of one's hands at a church's offertory before handling the Eucharist.
- 2The small towel used to dry the priest's hands following the ritual.
- 3A washbasin, particularly (Christianity) the one in a church used in the ritual.
- 4A trough used for washing at some medieval monasteries.
- 5A lavatory: a room used for urination and defecation.
Etymology
From the Christian ritual, which was traditionally accompanied in Catholicism by a recitation of Psalm 25:6 (Psalm 26:6, in the Hebrew and in most modern translations) which in Latin begins with the word lavābō (“I will wash”). The sense of "room with a toilet" developed under the influence of lavatory and lav.
This word in other languages
Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Using “lavabo”
The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.
- The one correct English spelling is L-A-V-A-B-O - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
- Say it as /ləˈveɪbəʊ/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
- 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.