LBW

noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"lbw" is a 3-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“LBW” is uncommon English (frequency #57,511 among 2,297 “L” headwords), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#57,511
frequency rank, English
2,297
“L” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - Initialism of low birth weight.

Corpus desk

Index EN-lbw · LBW · English

LBW · rank #57,511 · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-RARE #57,511
  • LEN-MID 3 letters
  • VOW-0 0 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-MID 2,297
  • PHOTO-FINISH leaguer

Nearest frequency peer: leaguer (+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.

Long-tail ranks near “LBW”

Sparse band: bars invert rank so rarer forms read shorter

corpus weight

What this shows Long-tail view: where “LBW” sits against similarly uncommon English ranks.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for LBW
PropertyValue
HeadwordLBW
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
Letters3
Frequency rank#57,511
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “LBW” in English

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).LBWfalls in this rarity band:

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

Ticks step logarithmically, so each one marks a roughly tenfold drop in how often the word turns up. Rare peers in the same band: “leaguer” (#57,512), “Lavery” (#57,509), “leant” (#57,513). Among 2,297 “L” headwords, “LBW” is #57,511. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

LBW is uncommon English at frequency #57,511 among 2,297 “L” headwords, classed as anoun. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 3 senses are on record.

The misspelling generator found no plausible variants for LBW, typically a sign the spelling maps closely to how the word sounds. This headword has no recorded confusable partner, since no other headword is close enough in sound or shape to pair with it.

This entry's etymology isn't recorded, so its spelling pattern is best understood through pronunciation rather than a traceable origin. The correct English form is LBW, spelled L-B-W.

Definition

  1. 1
    Initialism of low birth weight.
  2. 2
    Initialism of leg before wicket.
  3. 3
    Lutheran Book of Worship (hymnal)

Recorded use

Wiktionary example

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

  1. The Authentic, getting in front of his wicket, to pull one of the simplest long-hops ever seen on a cricket field, missed it, and was l.b.w.

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 "LBW"?
"LBW" is spelled L-B-W.
What does "LBW" mean?
As a noun, "LBW" means: Initialism of low birth weight.
What language does "LBW" come from?
"LBW" is a English word. PlainSpell covers definitions, pronunciations, and spelling data across English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and German.
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 "LBW", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 3 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

Kwa#57,502kou#57,497lue#57,529Kem#57,491

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list