Laval

name

"laval" is a 5-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“Laval” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #37,063 in English word frequency and used as a proper noun.

#37,063
frequency rank, English
5
letters
7
tracked misspellings
18
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A placename:

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

Laval vs local
40% similar
Laval vs level
40% similar
Laval vs legal
40% similar

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

Key facts for Laval
PropertyValue
HeadwordLaval
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechProper noun
Letters5
Frequency rank#37,063
Misspellings tracked7
Confusable pairs18
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “Laval” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). Laval lands here:

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

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for Laval is 5 letters long, classified as a proper noun. Corpus data places it at rank #37,063 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 5 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 7 likely wrong-spelling variants for Laval, with forms such as "alval", "laavl", and "lavall". 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 18 confusable-pair relationships, "local", "level", "legal", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowed from French Laval. The correct English form is Laval, spelled L-A-V-A-L.

Definition

  1. 1
    A placename:
  2. 2
    A placename:
  3. 3
    A placename:
  4. 4
    A placename:
  5. 5
    A surname from French.

Etymology

Borrowed from French Laval.

This word in other languages

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: alval,laavl,lavall,lavla,lavval,llaval,lvaal

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

alval2laavl2lavall1lavla2lavval1llaval1lvaal2
Edit distance from "Laval"

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 "Laval"?
"Laval" is spelled L-A-V-A-L.
What does "Laval" mean?
As a proper noun, "Laval" means: A placename:
What words are commonly confused with "Laval"?
"Laval" is commonly confused with "local", "level", "legal". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
What is the origin of the word "Laval"?
Borrowed from French Laval. 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.

Using “Laval”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is L-A-V-A-L - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Don't mix it up with “local” - see the side-by-side comparison. Laval vs local
  • 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.

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list