laver

/ˈlɑːvə/

//ˈlɑːvə// noun

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

The verdict

“laver” has 7 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #49,457. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#49,457
frequency rank, English
2,297
“L” headwords
7
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - A red alga/seaweed, Porphyra umbilicalis (syn. Porphyra laciniata), eaten as a vegetable.

Corpus desk

Index EN-laver · laver · English

laver · rank #49,457 · 7 variants · 20 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #49,457
  • LEN-MID 5 letters
  • VOW-2 2 vowels
  • CONFUS-HIGH 20 pairs
  • VAR-MID 7 variants
  • BOOK-MID 2,297
  • PHOTO-FINISH latching

Nearest frequency peer: latching (-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.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “laver”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “laver” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

laver vs love
60% similar
laver vs live
60% similar
laver vs leer
60% similar

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

Key facts for laver
PropertyValue
Headwordlaver
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈlɑːvə/
Letters5
Frequency rank#49,457
Misspellings tracked7
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “laver”

This scale runs from the tiny cluster of words that carry ordinary speech (left) to the long tail of words almost nobody reaches for (right).laverlands here:

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

The axis is logarithmic, with each marked tick roughly ten times rarer than the last. Same rarity band neighbours include “latching” (#49,456), “Laporte” (#49,455), “lel” (#49,459). Among 2,297 “L” headwords, “laver” is #49,457. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 7 spelling variants around laver (IPA /ˈlɑːvə/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #49,457 among 2,297 “L” headwords. Wiktionary lists 3 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 7 likely wrong-spelling variants for laver, with forms such as "alver", "laevr", and "laverr". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "love", "live", "leer", and more, since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English laver, lavre, lever, levre, laber (“a kind of water plant”), from Old English læfer, leber (“a rush (plant)”), a borrowing from Latin laver (“water plant”). The correct English form is laver, spelled L-A-V-E-R.

Definition

  1. 1
    A red alga/seaweed, Porphyra umbilicalis (syn. Porphyra laciniata), eaten as a vegetable.
  2. 2
    Other seaweeds similar in appearance or use, especially
  3. 3
    Other seaweeds similar in appearance or use, especially:

Recorded use

Wiktionary example

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

  1. To roast a leg, haunch, or saddle of mutton. […] A modern refinement is to put laver in the dripping-pan, which, in basting, imparts a high gout; or a large saddle may be served over a pound and a half of laver, stewed in brown sauce with catsup and seasonings.

Etymology

From Middle English laver, lavre, lever, levre, laber (“a kind of water plant”), from Old English læfer, leber (“a rush (plant)”), a borrowing from Latin laver (“water plant”).

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • alver
  • laevr
  • laverr
  • lavre
  • lavver
  • llaver
  • lvaer

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

alver2laevr2laverr1lavre2lavver1llaver1lvaer2
Edit distance from "laver"

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 "laver"?
"laver" is spelled L-A-V-E-R. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈlɑːvə/.
What does "laver" mean?
As a noun, "laver" means: A red alga/seaweed, Porphyra umbilicalis (syn. Porphyra laciniata), eaten as a vegetable.
What words are commonly confused with "laver"?
"laver" is commonly confused with "love", "live", "leer". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "laver"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "laver" is /ˈlɑːvə/. 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 "laver"?
From Middle English laver, lavre, lever, levre, laber (“a kind of water plant”), from Old English læfer, leber (“a rush (plant)”), a borrowing from Latin laver (“water plant”). 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 "laver", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 5 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (7 here; floor ≥5).

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list